Brazil, the bomb and the poet: Cecilia Meireles and the Gandhian Seminar (1953)

Peña, K. (2012) Brazil, the bomb and the poet: Cecilia Meireles and the Gandhian Seminar (1953). InterDISCIPLINARY Journal of Portuguese Diaspora Studies, 1, pp. 143-167.

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Abstract

In 1953, a group of nine delegates (from non-communist countries) met in New Delhi to discuss Gandhi’s “outlooks and techniques” as a creative means to resolve Cold War nuclear tensions. This article mainly focuses on the politics and lyrical impressions as observed by the Brazilian poet Cecília Meireles in the Seminar proceedings and the Diário de Notícias. As the only Latin American delegate to attend the Seminar, she sheds new light on the ways emerging countries such as India and Brazil cope with racism, war, hunger, and violence. One pressing Gandhian issue Meireles and other delegates address is the ethical role of “machines” in modern society. Problems faced by postcolonial cultures, such as industrialization, poverty, and racial strife, seem to take a different (and more dangerous) perspective when thought of in terms of machines and progress. To elucidate this “machine-like” rhetoric, the ideas of Deleuze and Guattari have been applied throughout. Other participant comments such as those by Ralph Bunche and John Boyd Orr allow for additional insight into topics still relevant today.

Item Type:Articles
Keywords:Cecilia Meireles, Gandhi, nuclear war, Brazil, India, Ralph Bunche, John Boyd Orr
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Benavente, Dr Karen
Authors: Peña, K.
Subjects:F History United States, Canada, Latin America > F1201 Latin America (General)
P Language and Literature > PB Modern European Languages
P Language and Literature > PQ Romance literatures
P Language and Literature > PS American literature
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Modern Languages and Cultures > Hispanic Studies
Journal Name:InterDISCIPLINARY Journal of Portuguese Diaspora Studies
ISSN:2165-2694
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2012 The Author
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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