RHYMES, SIGNS AND RESISTANCE: SLAM WORKSHOPS AS A PEDAGOGICAL ARTIFACT IN PROMOTING ANTIRACIST EDUCATION

Abstract

The Brazilian university environment, although conceived as an emancipatory space, still reflects alarming metrics of structural racism. Given the insufficiency of traditional methodologies to address sensitive topics, the need arises for innovative pedagogical practices that promote critical reflection. This study analyzes the influence of Slam workshops as a pedagogical artifact in promoting anti-racist education, investigating how this methodology transforms university students' perception of racism. The research, qualitative and exploratory-descriptive in nature, consisted of a pedagogical intervention divided into three meetings at the Federal University of Pampa (Unipampa) – Uruguaiana Campus, with 14 undergraduate students. Data were collected via focus group and field diary, and examined through Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA). The results evidenced that Slam acts as a tool for racial literacy and denunciation, providing a safe space to break silences. It was observed that white students became aware of their privileges, while black students strengthened their resistance. The study concludes that the workshops transcend the aesthetic field, consolidating themselves as territories for the denaturalization of racism and essential for building a plural university.