Percepções e representações de Diretores de Agrupamentos de Escolas do Alentejo sobre as turmas PIEF: estratégia de inclusão ou exclusão estratégica

Abstract

As a fourth-year PhD student researching the influence of racism on the educational pathways of

young Black women and men through their biographical narratives, this piece explores the chal- lenges and ethical considerations the researcher has encountered as a white European student

working on this susceptible topic in Portuguese academia.

Acknowledging and reflecting on racial privilege, which stems from a Portuguese education sys- tem shaped by colonialism and white supremacy, is of the utmost importance in this PhD resear- ch project. This reflection highlights the importance of three critical factors in better understan- ding racism and anti-racism: continuous learning and unlearning of rooted prejudices and beli- efs, evading extractive research practices and methods, and distancing oneself from paternalis- tic approaches.

Furthermore, we aim to draw awareness to a barrier often encountered when discussing race with white colleagues: emotional resistance. Hence, in this presentation, we reflect on how the concepts of whiteness and white fragility can help overcome the epistemological and political obstacles encountered during the research process, drawing attention to the connection

between personal experiences during the academic journey and the broader research fra- mework.

We argue for the need to address systemic challenges, ensure research subjects' well-being and independence, and use non-extractive research methods. This work proposes to examine the

complex nature of academia with the intersection of identity, power dynamics and socio-politi- 120 / 243

XVII Congresso da Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências da Educação cal contexts. Finally, it highlights the indispensable need for an anti-racist commitment within Portuguese academia, with an urgent focus on confronting and dismantling harmful research behaviour.