Apresentação - Dossiê Temático

Abstract

Literature, like other art forms, has always served an instrument for resistance, which through various discursive strategies responds to manifestations of oppression, despotism and dogmatism of various kinds. Above all, 20th century literary production — a century that witnessed a proliferation of dictatorships and authoritarian regimes, armed conflicts, wars and genocides, despite humanity's extraordinary progress in multiple areas — was marked by a strong sense of social, cultural or political engagement, which also extends to literary creation in the 21st century. Also in the Portuguese-speaking countries, one of the recurrent themes in modern and contemporary literary production has been the criticism towards the arbitrariness by authoritarian governments, as is the case of the Salazar regime — which stifled Portuguese society for over forty years and prolonged colonial exploitation in Africa — and by the dictatorial regimes established in the second half of the last century in Brazil and other Latin American countries. The aim of this dossier is to present some expressions of critical thinking on the literary production that deals with this subject. Therefore, eight studies devoted to the analysis of works by Portuguese and Brazilian authors who, at different times and through different forms of expression, reacted against authoritarian tendencies in Lusophone societies are gathered here.