Author(s): Fernandes, Inês Ferreira
Date: 2026
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/59842
Origin: Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Author(s): Fernandes, Inês Ferreira
Date: 2026
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/59842
Origin: Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
“Where there is power, there is resistance, and yet, or rather consequently, this resistance is never in a position of exteriority in relation to power”(Foucault 1978, 95). The social, political and economic power dynamic between rulers and subjects in one that transcends time. Only the dimensions in which such dynamic develops changes, and the correlation between the two is undissociated. Simultaneously, as a social institution, journalism is perceived as both a dimension and as an element that contributes to the power dynamic: it can be used as a source of information, as a point of accountability to those in power or portray a role of resistance to power. A role that gains an even bigger social importance when considering the “European culture of political participation, as well as the resistance to that participation from anxious political elites”(Conboy 2020, 28-29). This dynamic between power, resistance, politics, society and journalism is perceived and considered throughout time, landscapes, countries and ecosystems. Under these circumstances, one could wonder if, according to the historical dimension of journalism, politics and resistance, we can encounter models of resistance journalism or journalism of resistance. At the same time, can journalistic monographic analysis influence the development of journalism in a specific context? Can they contribute to understand the historical evolution of current media ecosystems? Against this background, and departing from the idea that journalism is and can be a form of resistance and used as a tool to face power, and that political landscapes can contribute to the existence of forms of journalism of resistance, this research takes the specific context of Portugal in 1927 and the clandestine newspaper O Reviralho as a corpus of analysis as an example of political resistance in the form of a periodical. Portuguese history of the first decades of the twentieth century is recalled by political turmoil and revolution that led to the fall of the monarchy, given way to the First Republic. This one lasting from 1911 until 1926, it is known for its political instability, economic crises, and partisan and military revolutions. It is in this political and historical context that the Military Dictatorship rises to power after a military coup on the 28th of May 1926. Although politically, and traditionally, the authoritarian regimes in Portugal are associated with the Estado Novo regime (1933-1945), historically the preceding Military Dictatorship (1926-1933) is in fact the point of birth of a period of more than fifty years of repression, control and authority. It is also in this period that through the decree 11839, and its clarification decree 12008, that censorship begins to be imposed on the Portuguese publications. Under this context, the revolution against the military regime give rise to the so call “Reviralhismo”, the counter revolutionary movement determined to overthrow the military dictatorship and whose activities lasted from 1926 all the way into the Estado Novo Regime. This revolutionary movement tried on many occasions to lead dozens of uprisings and reinstate the democratic regime, although not only unsuccessful but also contributing to the more authoritarian characteristic of the military dictatorship and the Estado Novo. As this political instability developed, so did the Portuguese journalistic ecosystem. At the beginning of the last century, Portugal saw a growth in the number of newspapers along with an increase of its influence. Their consolidation led to the emergence of independent and objective journalism (Sousa 2008). However, the political and economic instability that existed in the country during much of the last century led journalism into a field of unclear political influence and objectivity(Santos 2010). Concurrently, under the political instability, repression and censorship, Portugal watches an increase of illegal or clandestine newspapers, bulletins or similar publications. The best-known being “Avante” during the Estado Novo as a left-wing/communist publication that fought the regime, but also newspapers such as “A Terra”, “A Voz do Povo”, “Libertação Nacional” or O Grito do Povo. This association of Salazar’s regime and repression to clandestine publications is well-known and explored, however, this research focus on a publication from the period of the military dictatorship, representing a point of resistance to the regime that lasted until 1974 and the implementation of the freedom of the press. As such, and against this backdrop, this research aims to understand how the discourse on resistance to the military dictatorship was built in the clandestine newspapers. For that, it takes as corpus of analysis the newspaper “O reviralho: órgão do Comité Revolucionario”. Published in 1927, having only five issues, this publication presented itself as “a strong trench where they take shelter for combat, the steadfast hearts of the Portuguese”, with clear connections to the revolutionary movement. Drawing from Fairclough position on the dynamic of social power, and Wodak historical context of discourse, this research develops a critical discourse analysis of the five editions of the newspaper to understand the dimensions of resistance in the newspaper. Preliminary findings have determined not only that the publication is, in itself, a form of resistance by not entirely complying with the premises of the law decrees for publications, but also by reinforcing a position of political and social critic of the military dictatorship. At the same time, it does intend to be a form of journalism of resistance, by its clandestinity format but also of resistance journalism by publishing uncensored information. Circling back to the initial position that journalism can be a form of resistance in its different dimensions, and that the power dynamic between ruler and subject is defined by its historical context, this research aims to bring to light how monographic analysis of resistance in journalism can be used to understand the time of its social and political context, but also contribute to understand the journalistic ecosystem and overall historiography of the period under analysis.