News from Marcelo Hoffman of a workshop on Foucault and the politics of resistance in Brazil – to be held at Columbia University’s Center in Rio de Janeiro. Fortunately for those of us unable to attend, a publication is forthcoming.

This workshop will bring together scholars throughout Brazil to discuss a little-known topic outside of Brazil: the intellectual and political import of Michel Foucault’s visits to Brazil in 1965, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976. During these visits, Foucault synthesized and advanced his research in lectures and talks on an astoundingly wide range of topics, from juridical practices, to social medicine, to sexuality. He sought to clarify his unconventional perspectives in interviews with the press. Faced with the growing repression of students, professors, and journalists, Foucault also engaged in open opposition to the military dictatorship.

In this workshop, scholars will situate Foucault’s enormous contributions in Brazil within a series of theoretical, historical, and political contexts. They will also reflect on these contributions to illuminate aspects of the politics of resistance in Brazil in the past and present. The contributions to the workshop will serve as the basis for articles in the forthcoming issue of the interdisciplinary journal Carceral Notebooks (http://www.thecarceral.org/journal-vol13.html).