The Etnográfica em Foco web series returns with an interview with João de Pina Cabral, anthropologist and emeritus researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon, conducted by Iracema Dulley (ICS – University of Lisbon). The interview was recorded at the FCCN studios and focused on the discussion of his most recent editorial project, the book Metapersons, scheduled for publication in 2026 by HAU Books.
The conversation opened with the presentation of the book’s main conceptual axes, namely reflections on the notion of the person, forms of relatedness, and the ontological dimensions of social life. Throughout the interview, João de Pina Cabral revisits key issues that run through his academic and theoretical trajectory, articulating ethnographic and theoretical contributions that challenge normative and essentialist understandings of personhood and sociality.
Beyond the presentation of the book, the interview also offered space for broader reflection on the contemporary challenges facing anthropology, highlighting its critical role in understanding social transformations and in producing situated knowledge. João de Pina Cabral further emphasised the importance of an anthropology attentive to relations, practices and emerging forms of social life, capable of engaging with other fields of knowledge without losing its analytical and ethical commitments.
The interview thus underscores the relevance of anthropology as a fundamental interpretative tool for thinking about the contemporary world, reaffirming the value of theoretical reflection combined with ethnographic experience in addressing current scientific and social challenges.
Etnográfica em Foco | Etnográfica Spotlight é uma secção do AGORA - o novo site da Etnográfica - dedicada a entrevistas a "históricos" da Antropologia, confrontando os autores com o seu percurso e ideias.
Nestas entrevistas, os autores são convidados a refletir sobre seu percurso académico e científico, bem como sobre os desafios contemporâneos da antropologia. O objetivo é criar um espaço onde os leitores se identifiquem com as questões levantadas e se sintam parte da discussão.
Etnográfica em Foco é concebida como uma rubrica aberta, receptiva a propostas e contribuições, enriquecendo e diversificando as perspectivas apresentadas. Este é um convite para todos e todas participarem e se envolverem neste desafio coletivo.
Assista às outras entrevistas:
---> Entrevista a Rosa Maria Perez
--> Entrevista a João Leal
--> Entrevista a Caroline Brettell
-->Entrevista a José Sobral
Aproveite e visite o AGORA, o novo site da Etnográfica!
