The GHTM | Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (IHMT NOVA), will host the postgraduate workshop “Quilombola Territories: Between Places and Health Research in the State of Piauí”, on 23 July, from 9:00 to 13:00 (Lisbon Time), in the Fraga de Azevedo Room. Led by Osmar de Oliveira Cardoso, professor from the Graduate Program in Health and Community at the Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI), Brazil, the four-hour workshop will be delivered in Portuguese and explores the intersection of public health, decolonial perspectives, and research ethics in Quilombola territories—traditional Afro-Brazilian communities whose history, identity, and health realities remain central to contemporary discussions on equity and social justice. The workshop is organised by Henrique Silveira, researcher from the VBD-GHTM Research Group.
Designed for master’s and doctoral students, researchers, and health professionals, the four-hour workshop offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the social determinants of health affecting Quilombola populations. Participants will examine epidemiological evidence, health policies, environmental determinants, and ethical approaches to conducting research in culturally diverse communities.
The Programme covers five interconnected modules:
- Quilombola Territories: History, Identity and Territoriality
- Health Research in Traditional Communities: Ethics, Access and Fieldwork Protocols
- The Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), Decoloniality and Traditional Health Practices
- Women’s Health, Environmental Health and Epidemiological Indicators
- Hospitality, Community Engagement and Qualitative Research in the Field
Throughout the workshop, participants will discuss key challenges facing Quilombola communities, including inequalities in access to healthcare, maternal and environmental health, water quality, institutional racism, and the recognition of traditional knowledge systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on conducting ethical, respectful, and community-engaged research that values local knowledge and promotes equitable partnerships.
The workshop adopts an active learning methodology combining lectures, case studies, discussions of real epidemiological data, documentary material, and fieldwork experiences, encouraging participants to critically reflect on the role of health research in promoting social justice and reducing health inequalities.
This postgraduate workshop provides a unique opportunity for students and researchers interested in global health, tropical medicine, public health, medical anthropology, and decolonial studies to deepen their understanding of one of Brazil’s most important traditional populations while exploring innovative approaches to collaborative and culturally sensitive health research.
Registration is now open. To secure your place, please send an email to HSilveira@ihmt.unl.pt and join this timely discussion on health equity, decoloniality, and community-engaged research.
