Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Memórias amnésicas? Nação, discurso político e representações do passado colonial*

2016; Issue: 17 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4000/configuracoes.2909

2182-7419

Miguel Cardina,

Caribbean and African Literature and Culture

Amnesic Memories? Nation, political discourse and representations of the colonial pastThis article explores a set of recent speeches delivered at commemorative events by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva.Images of the colonial past are analyzed, showing how they are connected with a certain "amnesic memory" that values the nation from the perspective of the uniqueness of the "Discoveries", the specificity of the Portuguese presence in the world and the legacies left in the former colonies.Thus, it seeks to contribute to an understanding of the role of political discourse and political authority in the dissemination of selective representations of the past, as well as to offer a reflection on the dynamics among memory, power and silencing.