Estratégias discursivas e relações de poder na Imprensa de Vigia, Pará, no século XIX: O Liberal da Vigia, O Espelho e Cidade da Vigia

Abstract

This research focuses on the analysis of the expansion of the press in the Amazon region during the 19th century, with a particular emphasis on the city of Vigia in Pará. The newspapers O Liberal da Vigia, O Espelho, and Cidade da Vigia serve as empirical objects for investigation. The research formulated the central problem of how these periodicals became spaces for the circulation of power relations in the city of Vigia during the 19th century, through the discursive strategies they adopted in their presentations to readers. The general objectives included identifying the discursive strategies and political and social ideals promoted by the newspapers of Vigia, analyzing the role of these periodicals in the establishment and maintenance of the press in the city, investigating the circulation of discourses in the city, and evaluating the importance of newspapers as means of communication and discursive subjects. The methodology used involved the analysis of French-oriented discourse in the periodicals, with an emphasis on identifying discursive strategies related to editorial presentation and the political and social meanings proposed by the newspapers in the 83 editions available in archives. Additionally, the research used documentary and bibliographic analysis to contextualize the period under study and the relevance of the periodicals of that time. The results revealed that the newspapers were simple, often with between two and five columns of text, with creative layout, considering resource limitations. The content of the periodicals varied, with a focus on political issues in O Liberal da Vigia and O Espelho, aligned with the Liberal Party, which emphasized education and literacy issues. Cidade da Vigia, linked to the Republican Party, presented administrative content due to the limited number of available editions, but still reflected important political stances. The discursive strategies adopted by the publications were associated with politics and religion, reflecting the relationship of the inhabitants of Vigia with Catholic issues and proposing the idea of civility that did not ignore religion as a fundamental part of the social group's identity. O Espelho used a peculiar strategy, alternating prose and verse texts to elevate political debate to the realm of ideas, while O Liberal da Vigia and Cidade da Vigia highlighted their affiliation with political parties as a means to legitimize their proposals. Although we did not find a unified defense of the press as an institution in the city, the newspapers played important roles in the circulation of political and social discourses, contributing to the consolidation of political power in the city. The results indicate the need for the preservation and study of these periodicals, highlighting their role in the history of the Amazon and Brazil. This research represents a first step for future studies on newspapers in other cities in Pará during the 19th and 20th centuries."