project
MAIN OBJECTIVES

​ The AfroLab – Building African Literatures: Institutions and consecrations inside and outside the Portuguese-Language Space (1960-2020) investigates the constitution and institutionalization of African Literatures in Portuguese, both in the Portuguese literary space and in the World Literary System. Our main objective is to establish how much African Literatures in Portuguese Language are an institutional creation of agencies based in Portugal and how much their globalization is under the control of non-African agencies. Inspired by Claire Ducournau’s work about the institutionalization of African Literatures in French Language, and following the theoretical framework of Helgesson and Vermeulen, about literary institutions, we intend to prove the hypothesis that the African Literatures in Portuguese Language are a much more European than African creation. We assume that the international promotion achieved through the translation of these works – with the implicit power of consecration and canonization that it implies – is mainly controlled by non-African institutions. In addition, one of the objectives of this project is also to understand the reasons for, since the 2010 financial crisis in Europe – with intense repercussions on the cultural and publishing market –, the interest has been shifted from African authors to a new generation of European Afrodescendant authors. In other words, why does this change occur and in what way is it historical to Portugal's relationship with its colonial past? Although some institutions consider it a direct continuation of African contemporary literatures, such continuity is not clear for us. Finally, starting from the theoretical framework of post-colonial and decolonial studies, we move towards an attempt to faithfully represent African Literatures in Portuguese Language and Afrodescendant literature in Portugal, considering the editorial policies and the visibility of each writer. We will also take into account the echoes of literary and editorial production on the African continent and the particularity of each country.

THEM​ATIC ​aREAS

​ AfroLab – Building African Literatures: Institutions and consecration inside and outside the Portuguese-Language Space (1960-2020) is divided into the following 3 thematic areas:  

​Institutionalization in Portugal and Africa  
​It consists of mapping the institutions involved in the publication of African literatures in Portugal and Africa from 1974 onwards. The expected result of this task will be the mapping of literary institutions of African literatures in Portugal and Africa. In this sense, this task will identify and characterize the Portuguese institutions that focus African literatures publications, as well as the authors that are gathered in these institutions. In addition to examining which literary works were chosen for publication in Portugal, and whether they follow any type of model, it will also be verified whether these institutions also operate in other arts and in what way.    

Worlding in translation  
It consists of mapping the institutions of globalization through the translation of African Literatures in Portuguese Language. The expected result will be to present a new theoretical and methodological approach; and the mapping of institutions involved in the internationalization of African Literatures in Portuguese Language. In this sense, this task will take care of the important events/book fairs, identify government agencies that support translation as the projection of soft-power, what are the most important literary references and what they have as a role, as well as translators and universities in Portugal and in the rest of the world that contribute to the globalization movement of African Literatures in Portuguese Language.     

Africans Literatures in Portuguese Language and Afrodescendants today  
​ The expected result of this task will be to present the frameworks of African literatures and Afrodescendant literature in Portugal today; to promote civil and academic events and discuss about Afropean literature. In this sense, this task will reliably frame African Literatures in Portuguese Language and the literary works of Afrodescendants published in Portugal, considering nationality, gender, age, number of published books and publisher. It will also compare, through distant reading, African Literatures in Portuguese Language and Afrodescendant production, in order to identify disparities and similarities, both related to cultural and literary references, gender problems, etc...; finally, it will establish contact with social/civil associations and promote events to discuss about Afropean literature.