New Portuguese Letters Project

I have extensively researched the international reception of New Portuguese Letters, a groundbreaking book co-authored by three Portuguese women—Maria Isabel Barreno, Maria Velho da Costa, and Maria Teresa Horta—which was banned by Portugal's dictatorial regime in the 1970s due to its bold exploration of gender, politics, and censorship. My work has focused on how the book's radical themes resonated across borders, galvanizing global solidarity and protests against its censorship. In 2015, I organized a workshop with the aim of reuniting three British actresses who had participated in the international protests in support of the New Portuguese Letters during the 1970s. The workshop provided a platform to explore fragmentary readings, translations, and theatrical performances of excerpts from the book. These forms of engagement became key modes of listening to and disseminating its political transgressions and theoretical innovations during the global solidarity campaign. Below, you can find videos featuring the interviews collected during the workshop, offering insights into the book’s lasting impact and the international feminist response it inspired.