Social Representations of Indigenous Peoples After 18 Years of the Implementation of Law No. 11.645/2008: An Experience Report

Abstract

This study aims to report and analyze a social intervention experience grounded in Critical Social Psychology, focused on problematizing social representations of Indigenous peoples in high school education, in light of Law No. 11.645/2008. The study is based on the recognition that violence against Indigenous peoples is sustained by colonial representations reproduced by institutions such as schools and the media, contributing to the maintenance of stereotypes and historical inequalities. This is a qualitative and descriptive experience report conducted in a public school in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, involving 16 students over five meetings. The activities included group discussions, analysis of media materials, and reflective dynamics, with records kept in a field diary and analyzed through the Theory of Social Representations. The results indicate that the students initially held conceptions marked by common sense and stereotypes. Throughout the interventions, an expansion of critical awareness was observed, including recognition of symbolic violence, questioning of hegemonic narratives, and greater openness to intercultural dialogue. It is concluded that, despite legal advances, colonial meanings persist, highlighting the need for continuous and critical educational actions committed to ethnic-racial equity.