Dr. Carolina Freitas

Dr. Freitas has significant transnational and multicultural experiences. This is seen in her academic, professional, and personal journeys. Born in Brazil with Indigenous, African, and European heritages, she has always been interested in cultural diversity. Traveling throughout Latin America first, working as a journalist, and then, as a scholar working on her master's degree, she became interested in connections between critical theories and social movements, especially the ones that touch upon issues of gender and race. 

Her PhD in Sociology was carried out in United States, at Brown University, and Brazil, at University of Brasília. In her doctoral research, she explored intersections of social research, affect theory, and cultural expressions. Later, in her post-doctorate, she became more focused on indigenous and black experiences in the Americas, which is still a research interest. Recently, she has been diving into critical Black feminist decolonial studies and racialized affect theory. Professor Freitas is passionate about conveying her research into engaging classes and creating welcoming, supportive, compassionate learning communities with students with diverse backgrounds. Her teaching has been inspired by indigenous and feminist pedagogies. 

Some of Dr. Freitas recent works include: “Candangos” and “Skywalkers”: indigenous migrant workers in Brazil and United States, article written with a student and presented at the 2026 American Sociological Association (ASA) annual meeting in New York city in August 2026. Amefricanity: Latin America from a Black and Indigenous perspective, article published in the Bridgewater Review, 44(1), 22-25, 2026. The Kariri-Xocó and florestania praxis in Brazil, article presented at the 2025 American Sociological Association (ASA) annual meeting in Chicago in August 2025. Kariri-Xocó Indigenous resistance in the heart of Brazil, experiential film created in fieldwork with the Kariri-Xocó Indigenous people in Brazil, in 2024/25.