1964-2024: the Brazilian dictatorship in historical and comparative perspective
IRI-USP, São Paulo-SP

March 20-22, 2024

ABOUT THE SEMINAR:

The 1964-2024 seminar is being organized by the Support and Culture Center for the National Truth Commission – Brazil at the University of São Paulo (NACE CNV-Brazil). The event aims to bring together experts on the Brazilian dictatorship to debate, in depth, the latest historiographical trends in the area. Comparative perspectives that shed light on Brazilian authoritarianism through other authoritarian experiences, especially in Latin America, will be especially welcome, as well as perspectives that prioritize the role of disrespect towards minorities and identity resistance. Work that brings contributions and innovative approaches to the subject will be privileged.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Registration begins: September 1, 2023
Deadline for submitting applications: November 5, 2023
Publication of approved works: January 8, 2024
Announcement of the seminar program: February 5, 2024
Seminar: March 20 to 22, 2024

LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Angélica Müller (UFF, postdoc, IRI-USP)
Alessandra Castilho (FMU, PhD, IRI-USP/King`s College)
Dária Jaremtchuk (IEA-USP)
Eduardo Morettin (ECA-USP)
Felipe Loureiro (IRI-USP) (committee coordinator)
Gianfranco Caterina (postdoc, IRI-USP)
Marcos Napolitano (History Department, FFLCH-USP)

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Daniel McDonald (Oxford)
Eleonora Natale (King's College)
Thamyris Almeida (Dartmouth)
Rafael Ioris (Denver)

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES OF THE AXES:

AXIS 1 – Dictatorships and the Latin American Cold War (Gianfranco Caterina, Eleonora Natale, Rafael Ioris)
AXIS 2 – Authoritarianism and State repression (Alessandra Castilho, Ângela Moreira, Mariana Joffily)
AXIS 3 – Dictatorship and cultural life (Thamyris Almeida, Dária Jaremtchuk, Janaílson Macêdo)
AXIS 4 – Civil society, participation and resistance (Sheila Diniz, Goddess Maria de Sousa, Daniel McDonald)
AXIS 5 – Post-dictatorship dictatorship and transitional justice (João Roriz, Angélica Müller, Pedro Ernesto Fagundes)

GENERAL SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE:

Alessandra Castilho (FMU)
Angela Moreira (UFF)
Angélica Müller (UFF, IRI-USP)
Antônio Torres Montenegro (UFPE)
Carla Osmo (UNIFESP)
Carolina de Campos Melo (PUC Rio)
Daniel McDonald (Oxford)
Dária Jaremtchuk (IEA-USP)
Goddess Maria de Sousa (UFPA)
Eleonora Natale (King's College)
Gianfranco Caterina (postdoc, IRI-USP)
Janailson Macêdo Luiz (UNIFESSPA)
João Amorim (UNIFESP)
João Roriz (UFG)
Larissa Correia (PUC Rio)
Lucília de Almeida Neves Delgado (UFMG)
Marcelo Ridenti (Unicamp)
Mariana Jofilly (Udesc)
Marieta de Moraes Ferreira (UFRJ)
Miliandre Garcia (Unespar)
Pedro Dallari (USP)
Pedro Ernesto Fagundes (Ufes)
Rafael Ioris (Denver)
Regina Beatriz Guimarães Neto (UFPE)
Rodrigo Patto Sá Motta (UFMG)
Samantha Quadrat (UFF)
Sheila Diniz (postdoc, FFLCH-USP)
Thamyris Almeida (Dartmouth)

DESCRIPTION OF THE THEMATIC AXES OF THE SEMINAR

Axis 1 – Dictatorships and the Latin American Cold War
Works that dialogue with the literature on the so-called Latin American Cold War and the global Cold War will be welcome in this axis, reflecting on the role of local and international actors in the suppression of democratic freedoms on the continent, the differences and similarities between authoritarian experiences in the region, the international and transnational connections of Latin American institutions and actors, as well as long-term perspectives that place the period of the Latin American Cold War in a broad historical perspective, from different perspectives and objects – from the economy to culture, the role of the Armed Forces in society, labor, indigenous, student, religious, racial and gender activism.

Axis 2 – Authoritarianism and State repression
Works that discuss, in a comparative, transnational perspective or even from national, regional and local perspectives, the form and content of authoritarianism institutionalized by the Brazilian dictatorship, will be welcome in this axis, emphasizing how authoritarian actions, organizations and tools impacted in various aspects of Brazilian social life. This axis will also seek to reflect on the way in which the rise and fall of the Brazilian authoritarian apparatus was constructed, with its contradictions and limits, including resistance and pressure from groups on the military and civil extreme right towards a deepening dictatorship.

Axis 3 – Dictatorship and cultural life
Works that reflect on the role of the arts, in their most varied expressions, will be welcome in this axis, not only as a form of resistance against the Brazilian dictatorship itself, but also as an expression of groups and social actors who suffered human rights violations in the authoritarian context. Research that analyzes in depth the way in which the Brazilian dictatorship impacted the artistic world, ranging from censorship to the promotion of agendas and actors in the cultural universe, is also welcome. As in the other axes of the seminar, comparative, international and transnational perspectives will be particularly valued, as will approaches that give
voices to historically silenced minorities.

Axis 4 – Civil society, participation and resistance
Work that reflects on different forms of participation by civil society actors, including those of a collaborative nature and/or association with state institutions and military leaders, in the context of the Brazilian dictatorship, will be welcome in this axis. This axis will also focus on analyzes of content and forms of resistance, armed and unarmed, by civil society actors against the dictatorship, with the exception of those of an artistic-cultural nature (covered by axis 3). International and transnational connections of Brazilian civil society groups, whether those who supported or contested the regime, will be particularly valued, as will perspectives that shed light on the participation and/or resistance of different social groups to the regime, such as, for example, peasants , urban workers, students, businesspeople, religious leaders, women, indigenous people, black people and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Axis 5 – Post-dictatorship dictatorship and transitional justice
Works that reflect on how the dictatorship survived the process of Brazilian redemocratization at the end of the 1980s will be welcome in this axis, whether from an institutional political point of view, in particular due to the maintenance of authoritarian rubble, or through representations, narratives and perceptions that sought to present actors and agendas from the dictatorial period. Likewise, this axis will focus on the theme of transitional justice in Brazil, its limits, insufficiencies and contradictions, involving everything from the activities of institutions such as the Amnesty Commission, the Commission on Political Deaths and Disappearances and the National Truth Commission to, in particular, , the issue of serious human rights violations that are still silenced and/or absent from the transitional process, especially those involving social minorities, such as indigenous people and LGBTQIA+. As in the other axes, comparative work that highlights international connections and transnational links on the object will be particularly valued.