In 2024, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Portuguese revolution, which put an end to the longest European dictatorship and colonial empire. The dictatorial and colonial past, and the revolutionary process, assume a prominent place in academic research, but also in the public debate in Portugal, since the creation, preservation and reconstruction of the memory of authoritarian experiences, as well as the processes of resistance and rupture, still shape the understanding of the present. The goal of this congress is to analyze the evolution of the uses of the past since 1974, highlighting what is hidden and uncovered in the public sphere.

The aim is to bring together contributions that allow us to identify and understand different forms of memorialization, inscription and concealment of memories of the dictatorship, resistance, (de)colonization and revolutionary process, seeking to account for the narratives and practices, consensus, dissent and silence that manifest themselves in the public sphere, and its evolution over the last 50 years.

We welcome communication proposals related to:

• Difficult and conflicting memories
• (In)visibilization of the revolutionary rupture
• (De)obscuration and colonial reparation
• Museums and “places of memory”
• Formal and non-formal education
• Public art and artistic performativities
• Official and underground speeches
• Visitability and tourism

Deadline for proposal submission: March 30th, 2024

Please fill in this form (in Portuguese)

Call full text in PDF (in Portuguese)