Cannibalizing Cultural Psychology

This book offers a critical examination of contemporary cultural psychology through the lens of the Brazilian anthropophagic tradition. Inspired by the concept of symbolic “cannibalization” as an act of creative appropriation, transformation, and reinvention, the volume explores how established theories and methods in Psychology can be reworked to generate new perspectives on culture, subjectivity, and human development. Originating from debates at the 8th International Seminar on Cultural Psychology, the book brings together original chapters and scholarly commentaries that foster dialogue across generations, disciplines, and intellectual traditions. Contributors engage with key themes in semiotic cultural psychology, such as meaning making beyond language, embodiment, affective and microgenetic processes, proculturation, polyculturalism and lived experience. Rather than presenting a unified framework, the volume advances a pluralistic approach to psychological inquiry. Through theoretical reflection, methodological critique, and empirical discussion, it questions the predominance of narrative-centered models and examines alternative pathways for understanding symbolic dynamics, identity, social transformation, and psychological adaptation in diverse cultural contexts. By bringing anthropophagic thought into conversation with contemporary cultural psychology, Cannibalizing Cultural Psychology contributes to ongoing debates on epistemology, knowledge production, and the future directions of the field. It will be of interest to researchers and graduate students in cultural psychology, developmental psychology, qualitative research, semiotics, dialogical studies, and related areas of the human and social sciences.