SPECIAL ISSUE: 50 Years of Portuguese Decolonization in Africa
The journal STUDIA AFRICANA, 2nd series, announces a call for academic papers exploring the legacy and multiple dimensions of Portuguese decolonization in Africa, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution of 1974. This first issue of a new era aims to contribute to a historical, political, and social review of the effects of decolonization and the dynamics that marked the end of Portuguese colonial rule in Africa, offering a platform for critical and multidisciplinary reflections.
In April 1974, the Carnation Revolution in Portugal triggered a historical process that ended nearly half a century of dictatorship under the Estado Novo regime and, simultaneously, accelerated the conclusion of colonial wars in Africa, where liberation movements such as PAIGC in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, MPLA in Angola, and FRELIMO in Mozambique had already undermined colonial authority. This anniversary provides a timely opportunity to rethink, from multiple disciplines, the impacts of this decolonization process and the transformations it brought to both the newly independent African countries and the Portuguese metropole.
STUDIA AFRICANA invites scholars from diverse disciplines to address this historical milestone from perspectives that include, but are not limited to, history, economics, political science, international relations, communication, and anthropology. We welcome papers that question, analyze, and expand our understanding of the past 50 years, focusing on the following thematic areas:
- History and Memory: Analysis of the independence wars, decolonization, and their consequences. Proposals on how the events of 1974–1975 have been remembered and reinterpreted over the years in African countries and in Portugal.
- Politics and International Relations: Studies on the geopolitical impact of the end of Portuguese colonialism and its influence on power relations in Africa and the world, as well as in the postcolonial order.
- Economy and Development: Assessments of post-independence development models, the economic legacies of colonialism, and the economic dynamics between Portugal and its former colonies.
- Anthropology and Culture: Research on the construction of postcolonial identities, the role of the African diaspora in Portugal, and how art, cinema, and culture have reflected decolonization experiences.
- Communication and Media: Explorations of how media and popular culture have represented decolonization and its protagonists, both in Africa and Portugal.
This special issue seeks to advance the academic debate on the legacy of Portuguese colonialism and its lasting effects on African societies as well as on collective memory in Portugal. In a context where the far right has gained political ground, raising new battles over the memory of these events, it is crucial to examine how the decolonization process is remembered, negotiated, and contested.
Interested authors are invited to submit original and unpublished articles presenting rigorous theoretical approaches based on solid research. Contributions may adopt comparative, interdisciplinary, and critical perspectives, as long as they focus on the experiences and effects of Portuguese decolonization in Africa. STUDIA AFRICANA especially welcomes case studies, critical literature reviews, and historical and contemporary analyses that contribute to mapping postcolonial relationships in detail.
Articles should be between 6,000 and 8,000 words and must follow the journal’s editorial guidelines, which can be found on the official STUDIA AFRICANA website. Manuscripts may be submitted in Catalan, Spanish, English, Portuguese, or French.
We invite academics, researchers, and postgraduate students to contribute to this first issue of the new era of STUDIA AFRICANA, helping to build a critical reflection on 50 years of Portuguese decolonization in Africa and its relevance today.
Submission deadline: [April 30]
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Nombre: Manuel Barroso Sevillano
Afiliación: Grupo de Estudios Africanos, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (GEA-UAM), ES.
Email: m.barrososev@gmail.com
Manuel Barroso Sevillano. Doctor en Ciencias Políticas por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) e investigador del Grupo de Estudios Africanos de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (GEA-UAM). Graduado en Ciencias Políticas por la UCM, Máster Universitario en Desarrollo y Cooperación Internacional por la Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU) y Diploma Universitario de Postgrado en Sociedades Africanas por la Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). En el marco de su investigación de doctorado y posdoctoral sobre resolución de conflictos y construcción de paz, ha realizado estancias de investigación en Mozambique, en el Centro de Estudios Africanos de la Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) y en el Instituto de Estudos Sociais e Económicos (IESE). Así como también en Bélgica, en el Centro de Investigación y Estudios de Política Internacional de la Université Libre de Bruxelles (REPI-ULB) y en Suiza, en el Centro de Estudios Africanos de la Universität Basel (ZASB).
Nombre: Patricia Noormahomed
Afiliación: DINÂMIA’CET-Iscte, PT
Email: patricia.noormahomed@iscte-iul.pt
Patricia Noormahomed. Doctora en Patrimonio Arquitectónico por la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) e investigadora posdoctoral en el proyecto ArchLabour, financiado por el ERC-European Research Council, en el DINÂMIA’CET, Centro de Estudios del Cambio Socioeconómico y del Territorio del ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. Arquitecta por la Universidad de Granada (UGR) y Máster Universitario en Rehabilitación, Restauración y Gestión Integral del Patrimonio Construido y de las Construcciones Existentes por la Universidad del País Vasco-Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU). Ha sido investigadora posdoctoral en el departamento de Estudios Urbanos de la Universität Basel, con el apoyo de las Becas de excelencia de la Confederación Suiza, y profesora de Arquitectura y Planificación Física en la Universidade Wutivi (Unitiva) en Mozambique. En el marco de su investigación de doctorado sobre el patrimonio de la vivienda moderna de Mozambique ha sido investigadora visitante en el Centro de Estudios Habiter de la Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) y en la Facultad de Arquitectura y Planificación Física de la Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM). También ha sido investigadora en los proyectos ArchWar y WomArchStruggle, financiados por la FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.
