Journal articles by Hugo Silveira Pereira
Revista de História da Sociedade e da Cultura, 2024
Resumo. A partir da segunda metade do século XIX, duas tecnologias foram implementadas e desenvol... more Resumo. A partir da segunda metade do século XIX, duas tecnologias foram implementadas e desenvolvidas em Portugal: a fotografia e a ferrovia. Neste artigo, analiso as interações entre ambas em oito álbuns fotográficos que retratam a construção, operação e aspetos diversos de linhas-férreas portuguesas construídas entre 1872 e 1914: Minho, Douro, Beira Alta (dois álbuns), Tua, Salamanca à fronteira portuguesa, Norte (construção da ponte Maria Pia) e Vouga. Partindo da bibliografia existente sobre fotografia ferroviária, revisito algumas das suas conclusões e adiciono reflexões sobre a fotografia como instrumento de apropriação territorial e de criação de paisagens, bem como sobre a sua dimensão material, enquanto veículo que transporta ideologia, representações e lugares. Contribuo para o debate sobre o uso da fotografia como fonte primária (e não apenas como um acessório ilustrativo) e para um apelo a um maior uso desta fonte na análise historiográfica, sobretudo no campo da história dos transportes. Palavras-chave. Fotografia, Regeneração, Fontismo, história do transporte, apropriação territorial.
Revista de Historia Industrial, 2024
In late nineteenth century and in the first two decades of the twentieth century, Portugal witnes... more In late nineteenth century and in the first two decades of the twentieth century, Portugal witnessed a modest industrial growth. This industrialisation process was recorded by thousands of photographs, many of which were published in the illustrated press. In this article, I analyse how Portuguese industry was represented by photography and how that representation was disseminated nationwide through the publication of photographs in the two most important illustrated magazines of that period: O Occidente and Illustração Portugueza. I rely on a methodology combining semiotics with discourse analysis in journalism. I show that both magazines built an industrial landscape of modernity and progress, which did not coincide with the real condition of Portuguese industry. I add to the discussion advocating photography as an historical source, arguing that it is much more than a mere illustrative support, but a reliable primary source, with a high potential for history in general, and for the fields of business and industrial history in particular, in the sense that photography can provide fresh narratives around technological change.
Revista de História Regional, 2024
Este artigo analisa uma amostra de 138 fotografias (121 únicas e dezassete
duplicados) da antiga ... more Este artigo analisa uma amostra de 138 fotografias (121 únicas e dezassete
duplicados) da antiga colónia portuguesa de Timor, produzidas entre as décadas
de 1890 e as vésperas da Primeira Guerra Mundial e conservadas no Centro
Português de Fotografia, na Biblioteca da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian ou
publicadas na imprensa (revistas ilustradas Occidente e Illustração Portugueza)
ou como bilhetes postais ilustrados. Recorrendo a uma metodologia semiótica
e de análise fotojornalística e combinando na análise imagens fotográficas
com fontes textuais (debates parlamentares, relatórios militares, notícias
da imprensa e opinião escrita de peritos em questões ultramarinas), este
estudo mostra o modo como a fotografia representou Timor e como esta
representação foi apresentada na metrópole. A amostra imagética indicia um
interesse eminentemente etnográfico e antropológico por parte dos fotógrafos
portugueses, que pretendia colmatar o fraco conhecimento dos decisores
coloniais em Lisboa sobre aquela parte do império. Ainda assim, nota-se um
esforço para tentar promover Timor como um possível destino de emigração
através de fotografias que evidenciavam a domesticação e portugalização do
território ou o potencial agrícola e mineral da colónia. Deste modo, este
trabalho contribui para os debates historiográficos sobre o uso da fotografia
como fonte primária e sobre o papel daquela tecnologia nas agendas imperiais
das nações europeias em África e na Ásia.
Engineering Studies, 2024
In the 1850s, Portugal initiated an ambitious public works program
spearheaded by railroads. In t... more In the 1850s, Portugal initiated an ambitious public works program
spearheaded by railroads. In this article, I analyze how policymakers
(congressmen, government officials, engineers, and military officers)
debated and managed the construction and operation of the Portuguese
railroad network using the theoretical framework of critical
infrastructure. I show that railroads were deemed critical to modernize
the country, draw it closer to the European core nations and
further from the periphery, and to attract traffic to the Portuguese
harbors. The absence of railroads was considered a vulnerability that
could jeopardize Portugal as a nation and it fostered a sense of
urgency that motivated policymakers to act, to a large extent, hastily.
The construction of the network brought about other vulnerabilities
that, for different motives, could threaten the future of the country.
In a parallel way, the implementation of the system was marked by
vulnerabilities that originated within or surrounding it, which limited
its technical potential. Balancing between a literature review and the
use of primary sources (parliamentary debates, technical reports, the
press, and photography), I argue that the criticality associated with
railroads, as a sociotechnical construction, was central to motivate
their construction, but different vulnerabilities, inherent or external
to the system, limited their influence and the advantages touted by
its promoters.
Fotocinema, 2024
Photography has been used to record different features of human societies since its invention in ... more Photography has been used to record different features of human societies since its invention in the first half of the nineteenth century. After years of being used as an illustrative tool in history, photography conquered its place as a primary source since the mid-1980s. In this article I add to this debate with a methodological approach to use photography in history of science and technology (including medicine and engineering). I argue that photography offers an exclusive view to understanding how science and technology were implemented, used, represented, and presented to the public. I offer both practical guidelines and a theoretical framework, based on Barthesian semiotics, which can be used by younger as well as by more experienced academics. I claim that this proposal has the potential to be used as a common denominator between assorted photographic collections and therefore to allow broader comparisons across different historical and geographic contexts. Moreover, it promotes the critical view of photography that should not be taken by its face value, but it should be understood within its sociotechnical and technoscientific context. This reflection certainly has its flaws and shortcomings, and it is naturally open to improvements, through its practical application to photographic collections.
International Journal of Military History and Historiography, 2023
Público, 2022
OPINIÃO O novo plano ferroviário nacional: lições da História da Tecnologia (II) A História não s... more OPINIÃO O novo plano ferroviário nacional: lições da História da Tecnologia (II) A História não se repete, nem permite prever o futuro, mas fornece conhecimento relevante sobre a gestão passada de infraestruturas críticas, como o caminho de ferro.
Público, 2022
Transmissão online de reuniões autárquicas: uma necessidade democrática A transmissão online das ... more Transmissão online de reuniões autárquicas: uma necessidade democrática A transmissão online das reuniões dos órgãos autárquicos não pode ficar dependente apenas da boa vontade dos eleitos locais e deve ser tornada obrigatória centralmente.
Journal of History of Science and Technology, 2022
thematic dossier critical infrastructures; colonialism; imperialism; scramble for Africa; history... more thematic dossier critical infrastructures; colonialism; imperialism; scramble for Africa; history of technology In the early 1880s, Portugal began the construction of railways in its colonies. The main goals were to reinforce Portuguese presence and increase colonial revenue. This paper aims to analyse the transnational railways built in Mozambique, between the 1880s and the 1930s, as critical infrastructure (or critical systems). I argue that the lack of railways in Mozambique was the cause for deep concern and fostered a "sense of urgency" among the Portuguese authorities, as this could potentially jeopardise the Portuguese imperial project. Railways were considered critical to bolstering Portugal's sovereignty, as well as to exploit local resources and attract traffic from neighbouring territories. Once built, the railways revealed two major vulnerabilities: competition from South African ports and dependence on British capital. A few episodes involving Portuguese and British agents highlighted these vulnerabilities and motivated Portuguese policymakers to find solutions. This paper explores these topics based on a comprehensive literature review and the use of primary sources, intended to provide a novel approach to Portuguese colonial railways.
Revista Brasileira de História
Resumo No final do século XIX, Portugal empreendeu a construção de dois caminhos de ferro de bito... more Resumo No final do século XIX, Portugal empreendeu a construção de dois caminhos de ferro de bitola reduzida na província continental de Trás-os-Montes e no domínio colonial de Goa, na Índia, dois territórios subdesenvolvidos sob soberania portuguesa. Ambos eram aplicações práticas do programa português de grandes obras públicas, conhecido historicamente como Fontismo, o qual propunha a angariação de capital nos mercados internacionais e sua aplicação na melhoria do sistema de transportes nacional, antecipando o desenvolvimento econômico das regiões atravessadas pela ferrovia e a criação de suficiente atividade econômica para pagar os empréstimos. Neste artigo, realiza-se um exercício de comparação histórica usando a metodologia do comparativismo, sugerida por Michel Espagne. Realçam-se as diferenças e semelhanças entre as duas linhas férreas, tanto durante o processo de decisão, como durante a operação. Demonstra-se como projetos similares tiveram resultados diferentes, de acordo c...
Revista Portuguesa de História
In the Portuguese railway historiography, the 1890s practically are not analysed critically, as a... more In the Portuguese railway historiography, the 1890s practically are not analysed critically, as a decade of retraction in the sector, which contrasted with the large investments made in the previous years, especially during the 1880s. In this paper, I propose a global analysis of that period, encompassing both the mainland and the overseas railway sector, as one cannot be fully understood without the other. I highlight the opposition between the faith in the technological fix, typical of the Regeneração and of the Portuguese engineers of the time, and a technological pessimism accrued from the feeling of disappointment with the results of the investment in railways and with the private companies that managed it that reached its peak with the British Ultimatum of 1890 and the partial default of 1892. I will read on parliamentary debates, technical reports and the existing state of the art to explain how, by the end of the 19 th century, the faith in technology prevailed and managed to overcome a moment of severe crisis.
Antes da efetiva abertura das primeiras linhas-ferreas nos seus dominios ul-tramarinos de Angola,... more Antes da efetiva abertura das primeiras linhas-ferreas nos seus dominios ul-tramarinos de Angola, Mocambique e India na decada de 1880, Portugal foi confrontado com um conjunto de propostas de natureza especulativa para a construcao de caminhos-de-ferro nesses mesmos territorios. Esses projetos, vagos, especulativos e inseridos no jogo tecnodiplomatico entre Portugal e o Reino Unido, acabaram por nao se realizar, marcando um periodo de apren-dizagem por parte das autoridades nacionais no que respeitava ao investimento ferroviario nas colonias. Este artigo propoe-se a analisar essas propostas, tendo tambem em conta a previa experiencia ferroviaria na metropole, explicitando as razoes pelas quais nao se concretizaram. Para tal, recorreremos a fontes guardadas em arquivos portugueses (Arquivo Historico Ultrama-rino e Arquivo Historico-Diplomatico) e ingleses (The National Archives e British Library), exami-nadas a luz do exemplo descrito por Lopes Vieira para a especulacao ferroviaria ...
EnglishThe general bibliography about the history of the Tua line indicates namely Abilio Beca, c... more EnglishThe general bibliography about the history of the Tua line indicates namely Abilio Beca, cacique of the regenerator party in Braganca, as the main lobbyist for the construction of the railway between Mirandela and that latter city. However, one other historical character also played an important role in that process: Jose Beca. In this paper, we aim to describe the role of this engineer, in cooperation with his brother Abilio Beca, in the adjudication of that public work. For such, we will build our dissertation upon several contemporary sources in order to describe Jose Beca’s professional and political career as well as his positioning in the process that led to the adjudication of the Braganca railway to the contractor Joao Lopes da Cruz. We will therefore aim to add further knowledge to what is generically known through the Memorias Arqueologico-Historicas of the abbot of Bacal. portuguesA bibliografia de referencia sobre a linha do Tua indica sobretudo Abilio Beca, caciq...
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Journal articles by Hugo Silveira Pereira
duplicados) da antiga colónia portuguesa de Timor, produzidas entre as décadas
de 1890 e as vésperas da Primeira Guerra Mundial e conservadas no Centro
Português de Fotografia, na Biblioteca da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian ou
publicadas na imprensa (revistas ilustradas Occidente e Illustração Portugueza)
ou como bilhetes postais ilustrados. Recorrendo a uma metodologia semiótica
e de análise fotojornalística e combinando na análise imagens fotográficas
com fontes textuais (debates parlamentares, relatórios militares, notícias
da imprensa e opinião escrita de peritos em questões ultramarinas), este
estudo mostra o modo como a fotografia representou Timor e como esta
representação foi apresentada na metrópole. A amostra imagética indicia um
interesse eminentemente etnográfico e antropológico por parte dos fotógrafos
portugueses, que pretendia colmatar o fraco conhecimento dos decisores
coloniais em Lisboa sobre aquela parte do império. Ainda assim, nota-se um
esforço para tentar promover Timor como um possível destino de emigração
através de fotografias que evidenciavam a domesticação e portugalização do
território ou o potencial agrícola e mineral da colónia. Deste modo, este
trabalho contribui para os debates historiográficos sobre o uso da fotografia
como fonte primária e sobre o papel daquela tecnologia nas agendas imperiais
das nações europeias em África e na Ásia.
spearheaded by railroads. In this article, I analyze how policymakers
(congressmen, government officials, engineers, and military officers)
debated and managed the construction and operation of the Portuguese
railroad network using the theoretical framework of critical
infrastructure. I show that railroads were deemed critical to modernize
the country, draw it closer to the European core nations and
further from the periphery, and to attract traffic to the Portuguese
harbors. The absence of railroads was considered a vulnerability that
could jeopardize Portugal as a nation and it fostered a sense of
urgency that motivated policymakers to act, to a large extent, hastily.
The construction of the network brought about other vulnerabilities
that, for different motives, could threaten the future of the country.
In a parallel way, the implementation of the system was marked by
vulnerabilities that originated within or surrounding it, which limited
its technical potential. Balancing between a literature review and the
use of primary sources (parliamentary debates, technical reports, the
press, and photography), I argue that the criticality associated with
railroads, as a sociotechnical construction, was central to motivate
their construction, but different vulnerabilities, inherent or external
to the system, limited their influence and the advantages touted by
its promoters.
duplicados) da antiga colónia portuguesa de Timor, produzidas entre as décadas
de 1890 e as vésperas da Primeira Guerra Mundial e conservadas no Centro
Português de Fotografia, na Biblioteca da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian ou
publicadas na imprensa (revistas ilustradas Occidente e Illustração Portugueza)
ou como bilhetes postais ilustrados. Recorrendo a uma metodologia semiótica
e de análise fotojornalística e combinando na análise imagens fotográficas
com fontes textuais (debates parlamentares, relatórios militares, notícias
da imprensa e opinião escrita de peritos em questões ultramarinas), este
estudo mostra o modo como a fotografia representou Timor e como esta
representação foi apresentada na metrópole. A amostra imagética indicia um
interesse eminentemente etnográfico e antropológico por parte dos fotógrafos
portugueses, que pretendia colmatar o fraco conhecimento dos decisores
coloniais em Lisboa sobre aquela parte do império. Ainda assim, nota-se um
esforço para tentar promover Timor como um possível destino de emigração
através de fotografias que evidenciavam a domesticação e portugalização do
território ou o potencial agrícola e mineral da colónia. Deste modo, este
trabalho contribui para os debates historiográficos sobre o uso da fotografia
como fonte primária e sobre o papel daquela tecnologia nas agendas imperiais
das nações europeias em África e na Ásia.
spearheaded by railroads. In this article, I analyze how policymakers
(congressmen, government officials, engineers, and military officers)
debated and managed the construction and operation of the Portuguese
railroad network using the theoretical framework of critical
infrastructure. I show that railroads were deemed critical to modernize
the country, draw it closer to the European core nations and
further from the periphery, and to attract traffic to the Portuguese
harbors. The absence of railroads was considered a vulnerability that
could jeopardize Portugal as a nation and it fostered a sense of
urgency that motivated policymakers to act, to a large extent, hastily.
The construction of the network brought about other vulnerabilities
that, for different motives, could threaten the future of the country.
In a parallel way, the implementation of the system was marked by
vulnerabilities that originated within or surrounding it, which limited
its technical potential. Balancing between a literature review and the
use of primary sources (parliamentary debates, technical reports, the
press, and photography), I argue that the criticality associated with
railroads, as a sociotechnical construction, was central to motivate
their construction, but different vulnerabilities, inherent or external
to the system, limited their influence and the advantages touted by
its promoters.
para celebrar a inauguração da linha da Beira Alta, da Figueira da Foz a
Vilar Formoso. Com o rei, seguiam ministros, parlamentares, jornalistas
e membros da alta sociedade lisboeta. Entre o séquito, viajava um
outro convidado, um estrangeiro, de nome Bronislaw Wolowski, que se
encontrava ao tempo em Portugal e não perdeu a oportunidade de assistir à festa da inauguração. Wolowski acompanhou D. Luís ao longo das quase duas semanas que durou a visita real, tomando diversas notas, que publicou em livro um ano depois dos acontecimentos, com o título Les Fêtes en Portugal. Inauguration du chemin de fer de la Beira-Alta. Notes et souvenirs de voyage. Nos seus apontamentos descreveu a paisagem, as pessoas, os costumes e as idiossincrasias das regiões visitadas pelo rei. Neste artigo irei analisar a figura de Wolowski (quem era, que fazia, qual o seu percurso pessoal e profissional), o seu relato e as perceções e representações que, como estrangeiro (como o Outro) tinha de Portugal e dos portugueses (também com enfoque na Figueira e nos figueirenses), tendo em conta o contexto político e ferroviário da época.
En 2019, la prensa informó que la compañia española El Corte Inglés quería construir un nuevo centro comercial en el patio de la estación de tren, lo que significó la destrucción de la primera estación de tren de Oporto. Dos grupos de ciudadanos iniciaron una campaña abogando por la conservación de la estación y por la creación de un jardín en el patio en lugar de otro centro comercial. Eventualmente esos dos grupos se fusionaron en el Movimiento Ciudadano por un Jardín Ferroviario en Boavista. Desde su creación, el Movimiento ha tomado diferentes medidas para preservar la estación: peticiones al parlamento portugués y al ayuntamiento de Oporto; peticiones a las autoridades del patrimonio en Portugal; compromiso con la academia y expertos en patrimonio industrial; eventos callejeros; demostraciones. Hasta el momento sigue en pie la antigua estación de ferrocarril y aún no se ha aprobado el proyecto de construcción del centro comercial.
En este artículo analizo este caso de participación ciudadana para preservar el patrimonio industrial. Subrayo cómo el patrimonio industrial se entrelazó efectivamente con preocupaciones sociales y políticas más amplias como el cambio climático, el diseño urbano, la política ciudadana, la toma de decisiones políticas y la noción misma de progreso.
I draw from the basic notion of landscape, understood as a human-made socio-cultural construction that include human and non-human actors and within the territorial analysis paradigm that takes into analysis a structured group of elements in a determined territorial system. In this sense, landscapes where technology, science and medicine are distinctive elements can be transmuted into technological and scientific landscapes, as well as anthropogenic landscapes, created by the combined action of urbanization, settlers inoculation, resource extraction and public works construction. I argue that photography was particularly relevant in this historical timeframe, as it was perceived as being completely objective, a product of science and technology, unlike paintings or texts that reeked of subjectivity inculcated by its authors. Consequently, it acted as a tool to shape the representation of landscape and as a tool of power. The methodology will overcome the misleading appearance of objectivity of photographs by analysing the contexts, institutions and agents (their intentions, expectations and sensibilities) associated with photographs. Photographs themselves will be examined using Barthes’ framework that distinguishes signifier (the object depicted), the signified (the message that is carried out), and the sign (the myth created by such composition).
I illustrate how these railways were considered critical to modernise the country, draw it nearer to the European core nations, and to attract trade to the Portuguese harbours. The absence of railways in Portugal promoted a “sense of urgency” that could condemn Portugal to never leave the European technological periphery and in extremis could lead to Portugal losing its independence. Consequently, the lack of railways constituted a vulnerability of Portugal as a nation. Considering that railways’ criticality is usually associated with their transnationality, I will pay special attention to the five cross-border links to Spain.
However, those lines, especially those across the border, revealed two main vulnerabilities: (1) competition with Spanish harbours threatened to undermine the strategic value of transnational tracks as feeders of Portuguese ports; (2) cross-border links could favour foreign military invasions and therefore be a threat to the national; (3) considering its financial limitations, Portugal had to rely on British and French capital to whom control of the railway infrastructure was granted. In fact, most railways served British and French investors better than the interests of Portugal. Disappointments with foreign investors led to critical events which highlighted these vulnerabilities and motivated Portuguese authorities to use its own resources to build or nationalise railways. It was believed that a stronger presence of the state in the sector would prevent the interference of foreign agents in its management and enhance its preparedness to promote the Portuguese interests.
This paper balances between a literature review and the use of primary sources to provide a novel approach to the debate about Portuguese railways from the lens of critical infrastructures. I argue that their criticality was a key factor to motivate their construction, but their vulnerabilities limited their influence and the advantages touted by its promoters.
References:
Daston, Lorraine and Peter Galison. Objectivity. New York, NY: Zone Books, 2007.
Foster, Jeremy. “Capturing and Losing the ‘Lie of the Land’: Railway Photography and Colonial Nationalism in Early Twentieth-Century South Africa.” In Picturing Place. Photography and the Geographical Information, edited by Joan M. Schwartz, and James R. Ryan, 141-161. New York, NY: I. B. Tauris, 2003.
Macedo, Marta Coelho de. Projectar e construir a Nação. Engenheiros e território em Portugal (1837-1893). Lisbon: Imprensa de Ciências Sociais, 2012.
Jerónimo, Miguel Bandeira. The ‘Civilising Mission’ of Portuguese Colonialism, 1879-1930. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan, 2015.
Saraiva, Tiago. “Inventing the Technological Nation: The Example of Portugal (1851-1898).” History and Technology, 23, no. 3 (2007): 263-273.