Bibliographic References in Dispute: Coloniality of Knowledge, Bodies, and Territories in Psychology Education

Abstract

This article presents the results of a research study on the theoretical-methodological references used in 15 mandatory courses within the Psychology program of a public university in the interior of São Paulo, Brazil. The study aimed to analyze processes of epistemicide, epistemic colonization, and possibilities for counter-coloniality. A total of 133 required bibliographic references were examined. Of these, 53 were authored by Brazilians, 5 by other Latin Americans, 48 by Europeans, and 26 by authors from the United States; the nationality of one author could not be identified. Regarding race, 131 authors were heteroidentified as white, one as non-white, and one could not be identified. In terms of gender, 88 references were authored by men and 45 by women. The data reveal a predominance of white, male, and foreign authors, mostly from Europe and the United States. By denouncing this asymmetry, the study invites critical reflection not only on Psychology curricula but also on the direction of Brazilian science as a whole, highlighting the urgent need to incorporate authors committed to the territories, bodies, and struggles of South America and the Global South.