The idea of Latin America in the work of Darcy Ribeiro

This work is in the form of an essay, aimed at bringing out the most important aspects for understanding the idea of Latin America from Darcy Ribeiro (1922-1997), considering him to be one of the most important Latin American intellectuals, especially for his importance in consolidating anthropology in Brazil, and for preparing and advocating a dense work - called ‘Estudos de Antropologia da Civilização’ (Studies in the Anthropology of Civilisation) - with the aim of explaining Latin American peoples, especially the Brazilian people. Using his own theoretical elements and ‘anthropophagically’ digesting foreign influences, the scholar aimed his intellectual, ideological and utopian creation at viable prospects for the autonomous development of the nation and the continent. Finally, it was deduced that the theoretical endeavour of Darcy Ribeiro's thinking in relation to Latin America contributed to clarifying Latin America's unique identity as well as its feasible prospects for development.