The Pan-American Congresses of Physical Education as a Site for the Production of Physical Education (1943-1950)

Abstract

The Pan-American Congress of Physical Education held its first edition in 1943, bringing together representatives from various countries and institutions interested in discussing and proposing directions for the development of Physical Education across the continent. Focusing on its structure and functioning as the main axis of analysis, this study aims to examine the Pan-American Congresses of Physical Education as a site for the production of knowledge in this field, through its first three editions —Brazil (1943), Mexico (1946), and Uruguay (1950)—. The research draws on an extensive set of sources, including the Congress Proceedings, Theme Studies, and the Boletín of the Asociación de Profesores de Educación Física of Argentina, among others. The results indicate that the congresses operated as spaces for the production and circulation of knowledge in Physical Education, where exchanges among American countries contributed to shaping practices and conceptions that transcended national borders, consolidating a transnational character of Physical Education.