METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES IN RESEARCH ON PLAY IN QUILOMBOLA TERRITORIES: A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF BRAZILIAN ACADEMIC PRODUCTION

Abstract

Play constitutes a fundamental dimension of childhood experience and, in quilombola territories, expresses relationships of belonging, identity, memory, ancestry, and territorial appropriation. This study aimed to identify and analyze the methodological approaches adopted in Brazilian research on children’s play in quilombola communities. This is a systematic bibliographic study conducted through Google Scholar, using the terms “play” and “quilombola”, without initially delimiting the publication period. Studies addressing play activities developed in these territories were included, while studies conducted in other contexts were excluded. The corpus comprised eight studies published between 2014 and 2023, including four articles, two doctoral theses, one master’s dissertation, and one undergraduate monograph. The results showed a predominance of a qualitative approach, with emphasis on ethnographic procedures. Among the information production instruments, participant observation, photography, interviews, field diaries, and workshops were particularly prominent. Less frequently used strategies were also identified, such as experiential maps, life trees, drawings, and book making. It is concluded that the methodologies analyzed favor listening to children and understanding the relationships among play, territory, culture, and identity, highlighting the importance of expanding research on quilombola childhoods.