Ler História 49 / 2005
Dossier. Lectures and theories of History
Miriam Halpern Pereira
History and Social SciencesJoão Carlos Graça
Martins and Eça: transtextual readings, historical and economic theories
José d’Assunção Barros
The Fields of the History in the XX century
Studies
Ângela Barreto Xavier
David vs. Golliath in Goa’s XVII and XVIII centuriesMaria João Guardado Moreira and Teresa Rodrigues Veiga
Mortality Pattern in PortugalFrancisco Pinheiro
Portuguese sport press: from origins to popularization (1893-1945)
Interview
José Neves
Interview with Edgar de Decca
Debate
António Ramalho Eanes
Remember Melo Antunes
Abstracts
Ler História 49 / 2005
History and Social SciencesArt or Science? This question on the nature of History is raised by the author in the context of the dynamic relationship between History and the other social sciences, during the last two centuries. The role that methodological and epistemological debates engendered by the development of social sciences had in disrupting academic and positivist boundaries of historical knowledge, from the second quarter of the 20th century onwards, is central in this analysis. The renovation of History was accompanied by the diversification of methods and subjects, and fragmentation became a problem in itself. Yet, in Portugal, full participation in this evolution only became possible in the last 30 years.
Martins and Eça: transtextual readings, historical and economic theoriesSeveral ideas taken seriously by Oliveira Martins, and as such exposed in an academically respectable fashion, suffer a literary parody by Eça de Queirós in his oriental novels, in a tonality in which dominate the chiaroscuro and the labyrinthical. Amongst those are: the importance of randomness in history, Arian supremacy, the opposition between the so-called European and Chinese models of economy and society.
Distancing himself from the alleged erudition and scientific positions of Martins, Eça allows himself to express sympathy towards the whole of human experience. The social reality towards which Eça was less sympathetic was probably… the Portuguese one.
The Fields of the History in the XX century
This article attempts to clarify and discuss some aspects related to the modalities of History, organizing a panoramic view of the various fields in which ones the historical knowledge is divided nowadays. The aspects to be discussed are diverse, and include the objects, sources and approaches more common in witch of these fields. The article presents as principal reference the book named The Field of History, recently publicized by the author.
David vs. Golliath in Goa’s XVII and XVIII centuriesIn this paper, the author defends that Goan elites were active agents of imperial power, and therefore essential to the durability of Portuguese imperial domination. However, already before Portuguese presence, different groups within these elites disputed primacy in the local order. Then they continued this rivalry after the arrival of the Portuguese, and their submission to Christianity. Actually, since conversion allowed these groups to present themselves as internal colonizers, each of them – Brahmins and Charodos – started to deny this status to the other, by denouncing its members of not having noble origins. On the other hand, they argued that their own group descended from either the old Brahmin or Kshatrya, and even of one of the tribes of Israel. This strategy aimed at affirming their own group as the best-placed one to mediate political relations between the imperial centre and the colony, and therefore to keep or even reinforce their local hegemony.
Mortality Pattern in PortugalChanges in Portuguese mortality reflect diverse epochs and circumstances. The slow demographic transition from the typical mortality rate of the old demographic regime to the low rates of the present follows a specific chronology that diverges from the majority of European countries.
The change process starts in the 19th century, though this period is still characterized by stability. It is during the 20th century, especially in its last decades, that we witness some changes that announce substantial transformation in the Portuguese mortality pattern connected to significant social change process
Portuguese sport press: from origins to popularization (1893-1945)The history of Portuguese sport press started to be written by the end of 19th century. In the following 50 years, several titles made their contribution decisive to the consolidation of this kind of specialized press, resisting two revolutions, two World Wars, and many economic crises. This is a short journey through the history of our most important sport newspapers, since their birth to their establishment in Portuguese media spectre.