Since the 1830s, a notable shift occurred in Latin America with the emergence of newspapers edited and published by elite women. Argentina pioneered this movement, witnessing the genesis of a groundbreaking proposal led by women from the literate elite. These women challenged the established intellectual and literary field dominated by men, introducing alternative projects that permeated the public space.
As the mid-19th century unfolded, the momentum spread to other corners of Latin America. Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela experienced the rise of women’s participation in cultural and social spheres. Despite this noteworthy transformation, much of the twentieth-century historiography and literary criticism focused predominantly on analyzing literary texts, critiques, and political debates proposed by men. Notable exceptions, such as Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, Fernán Caballero, Mercedes Cabello de Carbonera, Clorinda Matto de Turner, and Soledad Acosta de Samper, were overshadowed, and many women’s voices remained unheard.
This digital project seeks to address fundamental questions that have long been neglected: Who were the members of the networks formed among Latin American women intellectuals in the 19th century, and what cultural products did they contribute to the public sphere? By doing so, the project aims to disrupt the traditional concept of the Latin American intellectual in the nineteenth century. Women, in addition to playing pivotal roles in nation-building through shaping public opinion, also fulfilled their traditional roles as mothers and wives – a variable often overlooked by historiography and criticism when analyzing the figure of the intellectual.
Join us on this exploration as we uncover the voices and contributions of these remarkable women, reshaping our understanding of 19th-century Latin American intellectual history.