Anthropophagy and Legal Theory: Images and Ideas

Concept
This workshop explores anthropophagy as a methodological lens for comparative legal theory, with special attention to images, cultural techniques, and interdisciplinary encounters. Building on the Brazilian Modernist notion of anthropophagy and its historical roots in travel literature and colonial encounters, the event brings together legal theorists, historians, philosophers, and art scholars to investigate how law absorbs, transforms, and recreates concepts through processes of cultural translation. The discussions are organized around four thematic axes: 1) Travel Literature, 2) Brazilian Modernism: Images and Law, 3) Anthropophagy and Image Techniques, 4) Axis 4: Anthropophagy – Past and Future by Dr. Melanie Merlin de Andrade, Dr. Fabian Steinhauer and Dr. Bruno Lima(Department Auer, MPI for Legal History and Legal Theory).

Participants

• Dr. Melanie Merlin
• Dr. Fabian Steinhauer
• Dr. Bruno Lima
• Prof. Dr. Ricardo Spíndola ricardo.spindola@mail.uft.edu.br
• Dr. Oliver Precht Oliver Precht oliver.precht@leuphana.de
• Prof. Dr. Luciana Villas Boas l.villasboas@uol.com.br
• Dr. Laura Rivas Gagliardi lgagliar@uni-koeln.de
• Prof. Dr. Claude Imbert claude.imbert@ens.psl.eu
• Julius Scharzwälder ju.schwarzwaelder@gmail.com

Thematic Axes

1. Travel Literature – Ricardo Spíndola and Luciana Villas Boas
2. Brazilian Modernism: Images and Law – Laura Rivas Gagliardi and Oliver Precht
3. Anthropophagy and Image Techniques– Fabian Steinhauer, Claude Imbert and Julius Scharzwälder
4. Anthropophagy – Past and Future – Melanie Merlin and Bruno Lima

Draft Program
Expected participants: 8–9 invited guests

10:00–10:15 — Arrival & Welcome Coffee

10:15–10:30 — Opening Remarks
Dr. Melanie Merlin

10:30–11:50 — Axis 1: Travel Literature
Prof. Dr. Ricardo Spíndola (30 min)
Prof. Dr. Luciana Villas Boas (30 min)
Discussion (20 min)
Chair: Dr. Fabian Steinhauer

11:50–12:10 — Coffee Break

12:10–13:30 — Axis 2: Brazilian Modernism – Images and Law
Dr. Laura Rivas Gagliardi (30 min)
Dr. Oliver Precht (30 min)
Discussion (20 min)
Chair: Dr. Bruno Lima

13:30–14:45 — Lunch Break

14:45–16:25 — Axis 3: Anthropophagy and Image Techniques
Dr. Fabian Steinhauer (30 min)
Prof. Dr. Claude Imbert (30 min)
Julius Scharzwälder (15 min)
Discussion (25–30 min)
Chair: Dr. Melanie Merlin

16:25–16:45 — Coffee Break

16:45–17:50 — Axis 4: Anthropophagy – Past and Future
Dr. Melanie Merlin (20 min)
Dr. Bruno Lima (20 min)
Discussion (20 min)
Chair: Dr. Fabian Steinhauer

17:50–18:00 — Closing Discussion
Dr. Fabian Steinhauer (wrap-up and next steps)​