Exchange of knowledge, emergence of experts and visibility of institutions: the case of the First Pan American Congress of Physical Education, Brazil 1943

Abstract

The following work analyzes, from a socio-historical perspective with emphasis on the social history of knowledge and experts, the I Pan American Congress of Physical Education held in Brazil in 1943. It focuses the investigation on the most discussed problems, as well as the function of certain experts and the role of specific institutions when legitimizing a determined epistemic and institutional functioning of the community of physical education specialists. Among the conclusions, the various addressed issues are identified, highlighting conceptual concerns linked to physical education, as well as intense debates about the modes of educational grouping. Likewise, the congress validated and gave prestige to certain international experts and important institutions linked to the heterogeneous field of physical culture.

Keywords:
history of physical education; international event; debates; Brazil