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Matthias Röhrig Assunção is a distinguished historian specializing in Latin American studies, with a particular focus on the history of Brazil and the African diaspora. He began his academic career teaching History at the Latin American Institute of the Free University of Berlin (FU Berlin) from 1985 to 1992. In 1993, he joined the University of Essex in the United Kingdom, where he has continued to develop his research and teaching. Throughout his career, Assunção has also been a visiting lecturer at several Brazilian universities, including the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), the University of São Paulo (USP), the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), and the Federal Fluminense University (UFF). He is an associate researcher at the Laboratory of Oral History and Image (LABHOI) and the Research Centre for Cultural History (NUPEHC), both located at UFF in Niterói, Brazil.
Academic Interests and Research
Assunção's academic work has primarily focused on the history of plantation societies, particularly in Maranhão and Northern Brazil, and the political mobilization of enslaved and free lower classes during the 19th century. His interest in these topics began during his PhD research, which he completed in 1990 at the Free University of Berlin.
Following his work on the history of capoeira, a Brazilian martial art with African roots, Assunção expanded his research to include the development of combat games in the Black Atlantic, particularly in Southern Angola, as well as the formation of popular culture in Brazil. He is currently involved in a research project that examines the history of capoeira in Rio de Janeiro during the second half of the 20th century.
Publications
Assunção has an extensive publication record, including books, journal articles, and book chapters. Among his most notable works is the book Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art (2005), which is considered a seminal text in the study of capoeira's history and cultural significance. His other major publications include De caboclos a bem-te-vis. Formação do campesinato numa sociedade escravista: Maranhão 1800-1850 (2018) and A Guerra dos Bem-te-vis. A Balaiada na memória oral (2008).
In addition to his books, Assunção has contributed numerous articles to academic journals. Recent publications include "Engolo and Capoeira: From Ethnic to Diasporic Combat Games in the Southern Atlantic" (2023) and "Antirracismo no Brasil Império: Raimundo Gomes e a luta pelos direitos do 'Povo de Cor' na Balaiada" (2022).
Research and Media Contributions
Assunção has also been involved in various media projects, including the video documentaries Body Games: Capoeira and Ancestry and Verses and Cudgels: Stick Playing in the Afro-Brazilian Culture of the Paraíba Valley. These projects reflect his ongoing commitment to exploring and disseminating knowledge about the cultural practices and historical experiences of Afro-Brazilian communities.
Qualifications
Assunção holds a PhD in History from the Free University of Berlin, which he earned in 1990. He also holds multiple degrees from French institutions, including an MA in History from Paris VII Diderot University (1979), an MA in Latin American Studies from Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle (1979), and a BA in History from Paris VII Diderot University (1977). Additionally, he completed a BA in German at Paris VIII Vincennes (1979).
Current Work
Assunção continues to teach and conduct research at the University of Essex. His current work includes a research project on combat games in the Black Atlantic from the 17th to the 19th centuries, which is expected to be published by Oxford University Press in 2024.
References
- University of Essex. "Matthias Röhrig Assunção." University of Essex Website.
- Assunção, M. R. (2005). Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art. Routledge. ISBN 978-0714650319.
- Assunção, M. R. (2018). De caboclos a bem-te-vis. Formação do campesinato numa sociedade escravista: Maranhão 1800-1850. Annablume. ISBN 978-85-391-0660-8.
- Assunção, M. R. (2023). "Engolo and Capoeira: From Ethnic to Diasporic Combat Games in the Southern Atlantic." Martial Arts Studies, 13(13), 6-26.