"Law and Epistemologies of the South" is a recent work by renowned Portuguese sociologist and jurist Boaventura de Sousa Santos, published on January 15, 2025 by the publishing house Lumen Juris. With 698 pages, the book delves into the relationship between law and epistemologies of the South, questioning the dominant Eurocentric perspectives in the legal field and proposing a valorization of the ancestral knowledge and practices of oppressed peoples.
Drawing on his experience in communities such as the Jacarezinho favela in Rio de Janeiro and his work with social movements linked to the World Social Forum, Sousa Santos argues that Northern-centered epistemologies have led to a significant waste of social experiences by ignoring or suppressing alternative forms of knowledge. The author highlights how modern Eurocentric law contributes to the perpetuation of dividing lines that dehumanize certain groups, advocating for a social transformation that recognizes and values the epistemologies of the South.
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