Dina Mendonça
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, IFILNova, Post-Doc
- Philosophy of Mind, Pragmatism (Philosophy), Philosophy of Emotion, Philosophy with Children, Philosophy, Languages and Linguistics, and 11 morePhilosophy of Science, Philosophy of Education, Philosophy of Film, Philosophy of the Emotions, PHILOSOPHY FOR CHILDREN, Philosophy for Children (P4C), Children Literature Philosophy of Education, Cognitive Science, Evolutionary Biology, Epistemology, and Feminismedit
- Currently a member of the research team of Instituto de Filosofia da Nova at Universidade Nova de Lisboa (http://www.... moreCurrently a member of the research team of Instituto de Filosofia da Nova at Universidade Nova de Lisboa (http://www.ifl.pt/index.php?id1=2) working on Philosophy of Emotions and Philosophy for Childrenedit
Research Interests: Philosophy and Plátano
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This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
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Este artigo defende que as variadas abordagens dentro da filosofia para crianças ganhariam em integrar, de forma intencional, a exploração do questionamento, em vez de apenas apresentar às crianças perguntas já preparadas como pontos de... more
Este artigo defende que as variadas abordagens dentro da filosofia para crianças ganhariam em integrar, de forma intencional, a exploração do questionamento, em vez de apenas apresentar às crianças perguntas já preparadas como pontos de partida da investigação. Esta ideia torna-se particulamente relevante uma vez que a filosofia para crianças é um dos poucos ambientes educativos que oferecem às crianças um espaço para que elas possam questionar e explorar as variações das suas perguntas, assim como o impacto que essas perguntas podem ter nas suas vidas. Desta forma, defendemos que a integração intencional, numa sessão de filosofia para crianças, de perguntas feitas pelas próprias crianças faz justiça à herança das diferentes tradições filosóficas e reforça que as perguntas são formas privilegiadas de os seres humanos se relacionarem com o mundo. Mais do que um simples passo metodológico no encadeamento de uma sessão de filosofia para crianças, as perguntas representam um recurso edu...
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Sob a chancela da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Coimbra e da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, o Instituto de Estudos Filosóficos promoveu esta sessão dedicada aos "Afetos", no âmbito do ciclo de encontros... more
Sob a chancela da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Coimbra e da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, o Instituto de Estudos Filosóficos promoveu esta sessão dedicada aos "Afetos", no âmbito do ciclo de encontros "Pensar a pandemia, a Vida e o Cuidado", coordenado por Joaquim Braga, João Maria André e Bernardo Ferro. O Instituto de Estudos Filosóficos é financiado por fundos nacionais através da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., no âmbito do projeto UID/FIL/00010/2020. Atente às redes sociais, à página Web do Instituto de Estudos Filosóficos e à página do evento para mais informações: https://www.uc.pt/fluc/uidief https://www.facebook.com/institutodeestudosfilosoficos http://10229251.356963.renderforestsites.com/ A música utilizada nestes vídeos pode ser encontrada in: http://www.mp3classicalmusic.net/Works/shostakovich-pianoconcerto2.htm
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This article discusses the importance of metaemotions (emotions about emotions), showing their undeniable existence and how they are a critical and essential part of emotion life. The article begins by placing reflexivity of emotions... more
This article discusses the importance of metaemotions (emotions about emotions), showing their undeniable existence and how they are a critical and essential part of emotion life. The article begins by placing reflexivity of emotions within the general reflexivity of human beings. Then, the article presents the literature on metaemotion, showing some of the problems that surround them, which ultimately will lead to ask if the concept of metaemotion is really necessary. The second part of the article argues for the usefulness of the concept, pointing out its role in establishing distinctions among emotional states as well as further clarifying the nature of emotion, and concludes on pointing out some of the directions for future research on metaemotions.
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This paper explains the two paradoxes of emotional response to fiction proposing an original answer to both paradoxes: the Experimental Solution. The first part highlights how the Experimental Solution demands an explicit understanding of... more
This paper explains the two paradoxes of emotional response to fiction proposing an original answer to both paradoxes: the Experimental Solution. The first part highlights how the Experimental Solution demands an explicit understanding of the connection between ...
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Este articulo defiende que los variados enfoques dentro de la filosofia para ninos ganarian si integrasen de forma intencional la exploracion del cuestionamiento, en vez de solo presentar a los ninos preguntas ya preparadas como puntos de... more
Este articulo defiende que los variados enfoques dentro de la filosofia para ninos ganarian si integrasen de forma intencional la exploracion del cuestionamiento, en vez de solo presentar a los ninos preguntas ya preparadas como puntos de partida para la investigacion. Esta idea se vuelve particularmente relevante porque filosofia para ninos es uno de los pocos ambientes educativos que ofrece a los ninos un espacio para que puedan cuestionar y explorar las variaciones de sus preguntas y el impacto que estas preguntas pueden tener en sus vidas. De esta forma, defendemos que la integracion intencional, en una sesion de filosofia para ninos , de preguntas hechas por los propios ninos, hace justicia a la herencia de las diferentes tradiciones filosoficas y refuerza que las preguntas son formas privilegiadas de que los seres humanos se relacionen con el mundo. Mas que un simple paso metodologico en el encadenamiento de una sesion de filosofia para ninos , las preguntas representan un rec...
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The chapter argues that the contradiction of emotional experiences identified in schizophrenic patients is a part of everyone’s emotional life. Building on Ratcliffe’s idea of thinking of schizophrenia in relational terms and taking up... more
The chapter argues that the contradiction of emotional experiences identified in schizophrenic patients is a part of everyone’s emotional life. Building on Ratcliffe’s idea of thinking of schizophrenia in relational terms and taking up the claim that the minimal self reflects a fundamental orientation to the world and the social world, the chapter looks into schizophrenic emotional life as a way to offer insights about emotions. The visibility of contradiction seen in schizophrenia patients brings to the surface some aspects of the complexity of emotional life, and reveals some of the processing of emotional experiences. Consequently, taking the contradiction of emotional experience in schizophrenia as familiar instead of strange, shows that emotional life entails experiences in which we can find inconsistencies between first order emotions, moods and the emotional episode, as well as experiences of conflict between first order emotions and meta-emotions. The chapter concludes by in...
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The present article is an analysis of the role of akratic feelings on empathy and self-consciousness. It argues that akratic feelings create a meta-emotional platform that allows the installation of a type of empathic process, which... more
The present article is an analysis of the role of akratic feelings on empathy and self-consciousness. It argues that akratic feelings create a meta-emotional platform that allows the installation of a type of empathic process, which simultaneously contributes for self-consciousness. The article shows in what way akratic feelings are crucial to further understand both ourselves and others. The article begins by describing the nature of akratic feelings and the way in which we can find them at various emotional levels. The second part points out how akratic feelings contribute to empathetic processes and their role in the formation of a meta-emotional platform in which people recognize their opacity. Finally, the article points out how this also contributes for self-awareness, and ultimately for a better understanding of emotional processes.
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The paper proposes that understanding the notion of ‘community of inquiry’ as a regulative ideal is a valuable working move for the refinement and improvement of the practice of Philosophy for Children (P4C). Reed (1996) and Sprod (1997)... more
The paper proposes that understanding the notion of ‘community of inquiry’ as a regulative ideal is a valuable working move for the refinement and improvement of the practice of Philosophy for Children (P4C). Reed (1996) and Sprod (1997) have already drawn attention to this, stating that the community of inquiry is more a regulative idea than a typical occurrence. Building on these claims, we will show that taking the notion of community of inquiry as such gives new light to many of the items and aspects of the description of what constitutes a community of inquiry. Consequently, it provides ways to identify important moments in the philosophical practice that consolidate the community of inquiry, and a working tool to grasp and handle some of the crucial moves that the facilitator makes, as well as other participants, to install and strengthen the community in the sessions.
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- Collates twelve full-length articles by leading and up-and-coming academics on the exciting topic of philosophy of emotions. - Focuses on the different roles that emotions play in our life, particularly their role in knowledge; -... more
- Collates twelve full-length articles by leading and up-and-coming academics on the exciting topic of philosophy of emotions. - Focuses on the different roles that emotions play in our life, particularly their role in knowledge; - Investigates the epistemological value of emotions in reasoning, a prominent research programme in the cognitive sciences. This innovative new volume analyses the role of emotions in knowledge acquisition. It focuses on the field of philosophy of emotions at the exciting intersection between epistemology and philosophy of mind and cognitive science to bring us an in-depth analysis of the epistemological value of emotions in reasoning. With twelve chapters by leading and up-and coming academics, this edited collection shows that emotions do count for our epistemic enterprise. Against scepticism about the possible positive role emotions play in knowledge, the authors highlight the how and the why of this potential, lucidly exploring the key aspects of the functionality of emotions. This is explored in relation to: specific kinds of knowledge such as self-understanding, group-knowledge and wisdom; specific functions played by certain emotions in these cases, such as disorientation in enquiry and contempt in practical reason; the affective experience of the epistemic subjects and communities.
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The present article is an analysis of the role of akratic feelings on empathy and self-consciousness. It argues that akratic feelings create a meta-emotional platform that allows the installation of a type of empathic process, which... more
The present article is an analysis of the role of akratic feelings on empathy and self-consciousness. It argues that akratic feelings create a meta-emotional platform that allows the installation of a type of empathic process, which simultaneously contributes for self-consciousness. The article shows in what way akratic feelings are crucial to further understand both ourselves and others. The article begins by describing the nature of akratic feelings and the way in which we can find them at various emotional levels. The second part points out how akratic feelings contribute to empathetic processes and their role in the formation of a meta-emotional platform in which people recognize their opacity. Finally, the article points out how this also contributes for self-awareness, and ultimately for a better understanding of emotional processes.
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How can we be moved by Alexander's fate across Judith Viorst's stories? 1 Emotional response to fiction has been the focus of a long philosophical debate centered upon two paradoxes: the paradox of fiction and the paradox of... more
How can we be moved by Alexander's fate across Judith Viorst's stories? 1 Emotional response to fiction has been the focus of a long philosophical debate centered upon two paradoxes: the paradox of fiction and the paradox of tragedy. The paradox of fiction, first ...
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Commentary on Michael S. Brady’s book, Emotion: The Basics, indicating that it offers an overview of the field of philosophy of emotions while raising awareness about the intrinsic complexity of the issues in emotion research. This makes... more
Commentary on Michael S. Brady’s book, Emotion: The Basics, indicating that it offers an overview of the field of philosophy of emotions while raising awareness about the intrinsic complexity of the issues in emotion research. This makes it possible to show how emotion research is inevitably tied to specific philosophical assumptions. Three illustrations are discussed that hopefully also testify that, as Brady states, the philosophy of emotion is inevitably tied to the question of what it means to do philosophy.
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The paper proposes a way to understand moral emotions in ethics building upon Bernard Williams' claim that feelings, emotions and sentiments are an integral part of rationality. Based upon Bernard Williams' analysis of shame we... more
The paper proposes a way to understand moral emotions in ethics building upon Bernard Williams' claim that feelings, emotions and sentiments are an integral part of rationality. Based upon Bernard Williams' analysis of shame we argue that the richness and thickness that it is attached to some emotions is the key to understand why some emotions have a distinct ethical resonance. The first part takes up Bernard Williams' philosophical assessment of the concept of shame (Williams 1993) establishing a general framework to show how recent developments in philosophy of emotions are in line with the far-reaching consequences of Bernard Williams' insights. Then we highlight the way in which there is both an historical relativity to emotions and an intemporal understanding of their ethical role, and use the concept of meta-emotion to reinforce the idea that what makes some emotions moral requires employing Williams' distinction between thick and thin concepts.
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This paper constructs a pattern of emotional activity in analogy to the Deweyan pattern of inquiry, by way of a re-evaluation of Dewey's criticism of James' conception of the nature of emotion in light of the recent insights of... more
This paper constructs a pattern of emotional activity in analogy to the Deweyan pattern of inquiry, by way of a re-evaluation of Dewey's criticism of James' conception of the nature of emotion in light of the recent insights of the neuroscience of emotion. The first part of this paper outlines Dewey's criticisms of James idea of emotion and tries to
This paper argues that the various approaches within philosophy for children should purposefully integrate the exploration of questioning by children, instead of only presenting children with prepared questions as starting points for an... more
This paper argues that the various approaches within philosophy for children should purposefully integrate the exploration of questioning by children, instead of only presenting children with prepared questions as starting points for an inquiry session. This is particularly relevant since philosophy for children is one of the few educational settings that offer a space for children to question, as well as to explore the variation of their questions and the impact their questions have in their lives. We state that this purposeful integration of questions made by the children does justice to the inheritance of different philosophical traditions. It also reinforces questions as a privileged way for human beings to relate to the world. Thus, more than simply a methodological step in the design of a community of inquiry session, we claim that questions are a fundamental educational resource. Questions are also a central part of thinking and inquiry in a philosophical session with children. Therefore, the paper proposes a new way to leverage these tools, arguing that defining philosophy as an obsession to overcome opacity and aim for transparency (Caeiro, 2015) can help participants of the community of inquiry to identify questions that may empower dialogue in a philosophical way.
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The article explores how a new dimension of emotion-depth-is crucially important for a better understanding of emotion and its connection to rationality. It begins by identifying that depth is trapped in a circularity in which deep... more
The article explores how a new dimension of emotion-depth-is crucially important for a better understanding of emotion and its connection to rationality. It begins by identifying that depth is trapped in a circularity in which deep emotions are important because they refer to deep and important aspects of people's lives. Following Danto's discussion of deep interpretation (1981), it suggests that it is the contrast between deep and superficial that grants emotional perspective and the ability to identify levels of emotional depth. After arguing that the emotional perspective is grasped by the narrative structure of emotion, it raises several objections that provide the ground to establish a difference between deep and profound. Then the paper concludes that the meaning of emotional depth is only fully understood in the ongoing contrast with the superficial described before, and states how further research on depth of emotion may provide the key to understanding the ambivalent status of emotions regarding their link to rationality. Resumo O artigo explora como a profundidade-uma nova dimensão da emoção-é decisiva para uma melhor compreensão da emoção nomeadamente na sua conexão com a racionalidade. O artigo começa por identificar como o conceito de profundidade está circularmente preso porque se considera que emoções profundas são importantes porque se referem a aspectos profundos e importantes da vida das pessoas. Após a descrição da discussão de Danto sobre a interpretação profunda (1981) conclui-se que é o contraste entre profundo e o superficial que oferece a possibilidade de colocar as emoções em perspectiva e a identificar vários níveis de profundidade emocional. De seguida argumenta-se que a perspectiva emocional é apreendida através da estrutura
This paper follows a Deweyan suggestion and proposes a structure for emotional activity – pattern of sentiment –as a way to grasp emotional experience in its live occurrence by building upon Dewey’s crucial notion of situation. The... more
This paper follows a Deweyan suggestion and proposes a structure for emotional activity – pattern of sentiment –as a way to grasp emotional experience in its live occurrence by building upon Dewey’s crucial notion of situation.
The first part outlines Dewey’s criticisms of James’s idea of emotion, and verifies the ways in which the recent developments of neuroscience overcome Dewey’s criticisms of James. Given that Dewey’s work is a propitious ground for continuing to renew the discourse about the activities of mind (Mendonça 2003), the second part of the paper outlines a pattern for emotional activity, setting up the first steps for a situational approach of Deweyan inspiration to the nature of emotion. I conclude by pointing out how such a pattern may be a unifying tool for the different emotion theories briefly describing some of the rich directions it provides for future research on philosophy of emotion.
The first part outlines Dewey’s criticisms of James’s idea of emotion, and verifies the ways in which the recent developments of neuroscience overcome Dewey’s criticisms of James. Given that Dewey’s work is a propitious ground for continuing to renew the discourse about the activities of mind (Mendonça 2003), the second part of the paper outlines a pattern for emotional activity, setting up the first steps for a situational approach of Deweyan inspiration to the nature of emotion. I conclude by pointing out how such a pattern may be a unifying tool for the different emotion theories briefly describing some of the rich directions it provides for future research on philosophy of emotion.
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This article discusses the importance of metaemotions (emotions about emotions), showing their undeniable existence and how they are a critical and essential part of emotion life. The article begins by placing reflexivity of emotions... more
This article discusses the importance of metaemotions (emotions about emotions), showing their undeniable existence and how
they are a critical and essential part of emotion life. The article begins by placing reflexivity of emotions within the general
reflexivity of human beings. Then, the article presents the literature on metaemotion, showing some of the problems that surround
them, which ultimately will lead to ask if the concept of metaemotion is really necessary. The second part of the article argues for
the usefulness of the concept, pointing out its role in establishing distinctions among emotional states as well as further clarifying
the nature of emotion, and concludes on pointing out some of the directions for future research on metaemotions.
they are a critical and essential part of emotion life. The article begins by placing reflexivity of emotions within the general
reflexivity of human beings. Then, the article presents the literature on metaemotion, showing some of the problems that surround
them, which ultimately will lead to ask if the concept of metaemotion is really necessary. The second part of the article argues for
the usefulness of the concept, pointing out its role in establishing distinctions among emotional states as well as further clarifying
the nature of emotion, and concludes on pointing out some of the directions for future research on metaemotions.
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This paper explores the role of existential feelings1 in films, and the impact of the connections between cinema and existential feelings for emotional life in general. The paper begins by explaining the notion of existential feelings2... more
This paper explores the role of existential feelings1 in films, and the impact of the connections between cinema and existential feelings for emotional life in general. The paper begins by explaining the notion of existential feelings2 and illustrating them in films with Black Swan (2010) and The Help (2011). Then, the paper concludes that movies offer provide insights about our own existential feelings because films promote emotional awareness by the way they function as emotional laboratories. This will lead us to examine the presence and role of surprise for emotional awareness in general, and by seeing how it works within suspense movies with the illustration of Rebecca (1940). The analysis will show how the paradox of suspense is tied to the way we can be surprised by our own feelings, including our own existential feelings. The paper concludes that the cinema is capable of providing this privileged place for exploration because it maintains our ability to feel surprise and keep open to surprise.
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This paper proposes an original answer to the two paradoxes of emotional response to fiction: the Experimental Solution. The first part highlights how the Experimental Solution demands an explicit understanding of the connection between... more
This paper proposes an original answer to the two paradoxes of emotional response to fiction: the Experimental Solution.
The first part highlights how the Experimental Solution demands an explicit understanding of the connection between emotions in the face of fiction and those within daily experience. Using Ronaldo de Sousa’s notion of paradigm scenarios, the Experimental Solution argues that fiction functions as a type of emotional laboratory where emotions are explored and tested, such that with fiction each one of us reworks the subtleties of the structure of paradigm scenarios. The second part of the paper elaborates some of the consequences of taking fiction as emotional laboratories, by showing that the continuum of emotional experience between daily life and literature reveals how emotional learning occurs in emotional response to fiction, such as to provide a privileged space for emotional growth. Finally, the paper presents some of the ways in which the Experimental Solution makes a little step forward though it agrees with many of the insightful conclusions of the make-belief theory pointing out two important modifications that occur with this new solution.
The first part highlights how the Experimental Solution demands an explicit understanding of the connection between emotions in the face of fiction and those within daily experience. Using Ronaldo de Sousa’s notion of paradigm scenarios, the Experimental Solution argues that fiction functions as a type of emotional laboratory where emotions are explored and tested, such that with fiction each one of us reworks the subtleties of the structure of paradigm scenarios. The second part of the paper elaborates some of the consequences of taking fiction as emotional laboratories, by showing that the continuum of emotional experience between daily life and literature reveals how emotional learning occurs in emotional response to fiction, such as to provide a privileged space for emotional growth. Finally, the paper presents some of the ways in which the Experimental Solution makes a little step forward though it agrees with many of the insightful conclusions of the make-belief theory pointing out two important modifications that occur with this new solution.
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This paper testifies the crucial importance of Philosophy for Children for Emotional Growth. It begins by establishing the open ended character of emotional processes, showing how feminist philosophers have criticized the fixed... more
This paper testifies the crucial importance of
Philosophy for Children for Emotional Growth. It begins by
establishing the open ended character of emotional processes,
showing how feminist philosophers have criticized the fixed
conception of negative valence of certain emotions, and
how, ultimately, the normative structure of emotions is open
to modification. Then, it shows how talking about emotional
processes and emotional situations can foster emotional
growth once we understand that the acquisition of language
and emotional vocabulary is one way to best capture the open ended character of emotions. Finally, attention is turned to
Philosophy for Children. Taking as an illustration the emotion
of hope and its importance to inquiry, the paper concludes by
examining in what way P4C both benefits and reinforces the
previous insights about emotion theory.
Philosophy for Children for Emotional Growth. It begins by
establishing the open ended character of emotional processes,
showing how feminist philosophers have criticized the fixed
conception of negative valence of certain emotions, and
how, ultimately, the normative structure of emotions is open
to modification. Then, it shows how talking about emotional
processes and emotional situations can foster emotional
growth once we understand that the acquisition of language
and emotional vocabulary is one way to best capture the open ended character of emotions. Finally, attention is turned to
Philosophy for Children. Taking as an illustration the emotion
of hope and its importance to inquiry, the paper concludes by
examining in what way P4C both benefits and reinforces the
previous insights about emotion theory.
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The paper proposes that understanding the notion of 'community of inquiry' as a regulative ideal is a valuable working move for the refinement and improvement of the practice of Philosophy for Children (P4C). Reed (1996) and Sprod (1997)... more
The paper proposes that understanding the notion of 'community of inquiry' as a regulative ideal is a valuable working move for the refinement and improvement of the practice of Philosophy for Children (P4C). Reed (1996) and Sprod (1997) have already drawn attention to this, stating that the community of inquiry is more a regulative idea than a typical occurrence. Building on these claims, we will show that taking the notion of community of inquiry as such gives new light to many of the items and aspects of the description of what constitutes a community of inquiry. Consequently, it provides ways to identify important moments in the philosophical practice that consolidate the community of inquiry, and a working tool to grasp and handle some of the crucial moves that the facilitator makes, as well as other participants, to install and strengthen the community in the sessions.
Este artículo propone que entender la noción de " comunidad de investigación " como un ideal regulativo es una iniciativa de trabajo valiosa para el refinamiento y la mejora de la práctica de la Filosofía para Niños (FpN). Reed (1996) y Sprod (1997) ya han llamado la atención
Este artículo propone que entender la noción de " comunidad de investigación " como un ideal regulativo es una iniciativa de trabajo valiosa para el refinamiento y la mejora de la práctica de la Filosofía para Niños (FpN). Reed (1996) y Sprod (1997) ya han llamado la atención
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This is a special issue edited by Laura Candiotto and Léo Peruzzo Jr. for the Journal Aurora. Among the contributors: Dina Mendonça, Valeria Bizzarri, Adrian Spremberg, Carlos Vara Sanchéz, Daniel O'Shiel, Alejandro Murillo-Lara, Carlos... more
This is a special issue edited by Laura Candiotto and Léo Peruzzo Jr. for the Journal Aurora. Among the contributors: Dina Mendonça, Valeria Bizzarri, Adrian Spremberg, Carlos Vara Sanchéz, Daniel O'Shiel, Alejandro Murillo-Lara, Carlos Andrés Muñoz-Serna, Daniel Calbino, Moysés Pinto Neto, Charles Borges, Godwin Darmanin, Daniel De Luca-Noronha, Léo Peruzzo Júnior, Laura Candiotto, Aaron Ben-Ze’ev, José Araya