How did you come to choose your research topic?

I began researching 1930s Brazil while I was still working on my master’s degree. My research topic at the time was the Brazilian Black Front, which was the country’s first Black political party. My research on this party led me to analyse its official newspaper, published between 1931 and 1937. It was the first time I had focused on this type of source, and I found the richness and originality of the content fascinating. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct a research stay at the Brazilian National Library in Rio de Janeiro, where I was able to delve deeper into issues related to racial and gender discrimination, as well as family policies. My current research topic grew out of this work, which I wanted to explore on a larger scale by examining the image of the family in Brazil and the family policies surrounding it.

Can you describe your research questions and the methodology you use to approach those questions?

The objective of my research is to understand how the idea of the “national family” and state policies regarding family issues are reflected in public discourse, particularly in the Brazilian press, and how this conception is challenged by divergent opinions, especially in a period marked by changes in Brazilian society. To understand how this ideal of the Brazilian family is constructed through the state and how it clashes with the reality reflected in public discourse, I examined the Brazilian press between 1930 and 1945. My research is based primarily on an analysis of eight Brazilian journals published between 1930 and 1945 in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In total, I selected more than 9,565 articles, grouping them by various keywords in order to identify the different discourses in the press (conservative, religious, bourgeois, feminine, working-class) regarding family-related issues.

What are your major findings?

My study of the Brazilian family as portrayed in the press from the 1930s to 1945 has allowed me to piece together various portraits of this family. This portrayal does not align with the model of the white, bourgeois national family promoted by the state. In reality, the family is depicted in various forms, such as single-parent families, families united by unofficial ties such as domestic partnerships, or families dissolved by illegal means. It also offers insights into the question: What is the family? This definition, which has evolved over the centuries, emerges here as a complex unit within which individuals — a man, a woman, and a child — live in a private space that is nonetheless subject to the intervention of actors in the public sphere. My study shows that there is a very fine line between private space — which is generally associated with the family — and public space, which is the domain of the state. This led me to conclude my dissertation with a question that may seem provocative: public families or private families, is there really a difference?

How do you see your thesis contributing to the existing literature in your field?

With regard to the secondary literature, my research highlights an aspect that has received little attention thus far in the study of families in the early 20th century: the importance placed on physical appearance, and especially skin colour, which became a bargaining chip for many young people seeking to climb the social ladder.

Can your analysis of the press’s perspective on Brazilian family policies from 1930 to 1945 shed light on Brazil today?

I believe that my research on the press highlights trends related to family policies and issues of racial and gender discrimination that, unfortunately, still exist today. In my opinion, issues concerning Brazilian families are always relevant. Never before has a topic been so frequently mentioned in the speeches and campaign promises of presidential candidates. It is therefore essential to continue addressing family issues by taking into account factors such as race, class, and gender in order to hopefully change the fate of many Brazilian families.

What bearing will your doctoral experience have on your career plans?

This PhD was definitely a challenge. However, I am glad to have been able to contribute to the literature on issues related to family, racial discrimination, and gender. I hope to continue in a career that allows me to advocate for all families.

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On 27 January 2026, Clara Silveira defended her PhD thesis in International History and Politics, titled “Familles publiques ou familles privées: les politiques familiales sous le regard de la presse brésilienne (1930-1945)”. Committee members were Associate Professor Nicole Bourbonnais, Thesis Supervisor; Associate Professor Graziella Moraes Dias Da Silva, President of the Committee and Internal Member; and Associate Professor Courtney J. Campbell, Department of History, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Citation of the PhD thesis: 
Magalhães Silveira, Maria Clara. “Familles publiques ou familles privées: les politiques familiales sous le regard de la presse brésilienne (1930-1945).” PhD thesis, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, 2026.
Access:
The PhD thesis is publicly available on the Geneva Graduate Institute’s repository.

Banner image: frantic00/Shutterstock.
Interview by Nathalie Tanner, Research Office.