Anthologists in the Classroom: For a Pedagogy of Collective Making

Abstract

The aim is to discuss contemporary Brazilian poetry teaching experiments carried out in the Literature course at the Universidade Federal Fluminense, in the city of Niterói - RJ, between 2017 and 2023. The experiences with undergraduate classes involved the creation of poetic anthologies by the students, initially as an assessment tool and, in the class of 2022.1, also as a course structure. Given the didactic value and normative character usually attributed to anthologies, we sought to review the pacified instrumentalization of this type of publication. To this end, pedagogical experiences required reflection on their constitution and function as support material; treat the anthology as an object of critical appreciation; incorporate the anthologist's practice, in its creative and critical strength, into teaching activity; build collective working relationships with shared readings and poem selection; as well as exploring editorial practices involved in creating poetry collections. In the process of reading, selection, organization and critical consideration of works recently published by Brazilian poets, the recognition of the partiality inherent in any anthology made it possible to destabilize the normative dimension, as well as explore the creative potential of shifting acting as a reader in towards critical work as an author and vice versa.