Episode notes
As part of "(Un)learning Religion", students explored the trial of José Sebastião “Juca” Rosa. Juca Rosa, a 19th-century Afro-Brazilian religious leader, was tried and convicted for fraud after his spiritual practices, rituals, and relationships drew suspicion and sensationalized media attention. Although “witchcraft” was not illegal, the case exposed how Afro-Brazilian religions were vulnerable to legal and social persecution. His trial highlights early challenges to religious freedom in Brazil, showing how minority beliefs could be suppressed under the guise of secular law.
Podcast created for the course “The Politics of Religious Freedom and Secularism in the Americas” at Sciences Po Paris, Spring 2025.
Creators: Catherine, Saman, Isabela, Miranda.
Keywords
religious freedombrazilsecularism