still cry in the air: the “Free Lula” utterance as an expression of the politics of eternity

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18309/anp.v1i48.1277

Keywords:

Performative, Politics of Eternity, Brazilian Politics

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze the utterance ‘Free Lula’, the most popular slogan among Brazilian leftists since former president Lula was convicted and imprisoned. Articulating Austin’s philosophy of language to Timothy Snyder’s remarks on contemporary politics, I argue that ‘Free Lula’, unlike regular performatives utterances, does not project itself towards the future as an act potentially capable of changing the circumstances in which it is issued. Instead, it inscribes itself in a circular conception of time, within which life is experienced as
a permanent defense of one’s own innocence against cyclical attacks allegedly perpetrated by an external enemy.

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Author Biography

Fábio Lopes da Silva, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina

É doutor em Lingüística pela Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1999), com pós-doutorado em Literatura Brasileira pela PUC-Rio (2009). Em 2019, gozou de licença-capacitação na Yale University, sob os auspícios do Professor Timothy Snyder (Departamento de História). Desde 1994, é professor da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Foi do Tutor do Pet/Letras na mesma Universidade. Integra o Corpo Editorial da Revista Alfa (Araraquara). Foi por quatro anos coordenador do Programa de Pós Graduação em Lingüística da UFSC. Foi Diretor-Executivo da EdUFSC entre 2013 e 2106.

Published

2019-06-25

How to Cite

Lopes da Silva, F. (2019). still cry in the air: the “Free Lula” utterance as an expression of the politics of eternity. Revista Da Anpoll, 1(48), 124–135. https://doi.org/10.18309/anp.v1i48.1277

Issue

Section

Linguística 2019