Humanities & Social Sciences
August 2020
themes for a new Brazilian history
In ‘Dissident identity: themes for a new Brazilian History’, Edgard Leite continues the work done in 'Predators', which addresses the Brazilian history from the other side, rescuing facts, contradictions and ideas that, over the years and because of a historiography often biased, remained forgotten. A thorough job and an arduous task which the author is not exempt, but faces; as well as facing certain tradition in historical studies. With a concise writing, the author develops his argument from the idea that, since the Copernican revolution, mankind turned to quantity over quality. It is precisely this world that will emerge from Brazil, since the arrival of Europeans will just at a time when the effects of the Copernican turning shall introduce into Europe. Another important point for understanding the history of Brazil will be the secularization of the state, which is strengthened by the Enlightenment and the French Revolution is, above all, its most acute event. Understanding the relationship between state and religion and, especially, the understanding of the concept of mind, will be central to a discussion of the values that shape - or fail to shape - a society. The book ends with the 1964 event, and the reader will wait that the author addresses in forthcoming books, the continuation of Brazilian history. Always with his provocative and powerful bias.
