Between knowledges and silences : exploring identities of early-career Brazilian immigrants in Portuguese academia

Abstract

This study explores the nuanced perceptions of early-career Brazilian immigrants in Portuguese academia, contributing to filling the gap in the literature on the experiences of researchers from the Global South in European higher education. As immigrants intersected by various matrices of oppression, they bear enduring imprints of Eurocentric coloniality that marginalises and silences them (Mignolo, 2003), a situation exacerbated when the destination country is their former coloniser. Drawing on critical frameworks of decolonial and intersectional scholarship, we delve into gender, nationality, sexuality, age, and linguistic proficiency to discern challenges to integration, knowledge production, linguistic barriers, and cultural adaptation in Portuguese academic spaces, aiming to shed light on the complex academic’s power dynamics, particularly in former colonial contexts. Findings of the analysis of semistructured interviews with ten (10) early-career Brazilian immigrant researchers in Portuguese universities articulate the enduring impact of colonial legacies on the experiences of immigrant researchers; and inform our discern and discussion of (1) integration and equity experiences; (2) the influence of identities and intersectionality on the researchers’ scientific professional development; (3) dynamics of power and academic relations in promoting or limiting professional advancement; and (4) academic eurocentrism and its implications for epistemological diversity in academia. A more inclusive and equitable academic ecosystem is contingent on decolonization of knowledge production processes, the incorporation of Global South perspectives into academic curricula, and the re-evaluation of knowledge validation criteria to foster a more equitable and pluralistic academic environment.