Betweener Talk

by Marcelo Diversi, Claudio Moreira

In this literary, co-constructed narrative, two Brazilian scholars explore the spaces “in-between”―between their own biographies, one raised privileged, the other poor; between the experience of being raised in Brazil and finding acceptance in United States universities; between their lives in the academic establishment and their studies of poverty in Latin America; between the constraints of apolitical scholarship and the need to promote social justice; between contrasting styles of researching, theorizing, and writing. Their dialogue seeks to decolonize the world of American scholarship and promote the use of research toward inclusive social justice.

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diversi and Moreira discuss being a betweener in spaces, never/always here or there. Reading their book made me reflect on my ‘status’ as a betweener in an academic space (my current PhD journey).

Moreira (page 211):
“Yes, and I also think we need narratives that turn the mirror toward critical interpretive communities, so that we can continue to resist not only positivistic determinism but determinism of any kind. In my view, it’s still a pretty elitist bunch, very status conscious, status proud. It still tends to name the world in an essentializing dichotomous way of Us versus Them”

I love their collaborative writing and look forward to reading their more recent book!