Open Class The Portuguese people: forty years of integration

This event aims primarily to promote a critical and multidimensional reflection on Portugal’s trajectory in the process of European integration, within the context of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Portugal’s accession to the European Union.

The specific objectives are:

To provide historical context for Portugal’s accession to the EEC
Through recalling the political and international context that preceded accession, namely the final period of the Estado Novo – symbolised by the idea of “orgulhosamente sós” – and Portugal’s strategic repositioning after 25 April 1974, the event will seek to discuss how European integration became a central pillar of the country’s democratisation and modernisation.

To analyse the political, economic and social impact of European integration
Discussion will focus on how accession to the European Community represented, for many analysts, a “second revolution” of a structural nature following the democratic transition, particularly through access to European funds, the modernisation of infrastructure, the transformation of public policies and the Europeanisation of Portuguese institutions.

To reflect on Portugal’s role in European construction
The event also aims to discuss Portugal’s position within European institutions over these four decades, including key moments of integration and the current challenges of multi-level governance.

To explore counterfactual scenarios
A deliberately provocative dimension will involve reflecting on the question: what would Portugal be like today if it had not joined the European Union? This approach will encourage critical thinking about structural dependencies, alternative development trajectories and the role of European integration in the national path.

To provide insight into the backstage of European journalism
Through testimonies from correspondents in Brussels, students will gain a better understanding of how European journalism operates, the challenges of media coverage of EU institutions and how European decisions are communicated to national audiences.

To discuss press freedom in the European context
Relevant contemporary debates will also be addressed, such as the European Media Freedom Act, as well as concrete cases related to the functioning of news agencies and working conditions in the sector, linking European integration to current issues of democracy and the media. Relevant contemporary debates will also be addressed, such as the European Media Freedom Act, as well as concrete cases related to the functioning of news agencies and working conditions in the sector, linking European integration to current issues of democracy and the media.

Overall, the event aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between European integration, democracy, media and national development, fostering informed debate among students and experts.

Target Audience
This event is primarily aimed at:

• Students enrolled in the Bachelor’s degree in European Studies and International Relations (EERI) at Lusófona University, particularly within the framework of academic initiatives marking the 40th anniversary of Portugal’s accession to the European Union.
• Students of Political Science, International Relations, Communication and Journalism with an interest in European integration processes and European public policies.
• Academic staff and researchers in the fields of European Studies, Political Science, Contemporary History and Media Studies.
• A broader university audience interested in Portugal’s political and institutional evolution within the European context.
• For students, the event also aims to serve as an opportunity for direct engagement with professionals and experts, creating a bridge between academic knowledge and practical experience in areas such as European journalism, political analysis and European governance.

Programme

This session addresses Portugal’s trajectory from international isolation during the Estado Novo to its integration into the European project, highlighting key moments in recent history, the transformative impact of accession to the EEC/EU and contemporary debates on media and democracy in Europe.

With IRINA MELO (Journalist, Lusa Agency)

• “Orgulhosamente Sós”: Portugal during the Estado Novo
  Foreign policy and international isolation prior to the democratic transition.
• Portugal and the EEC
  The political context after 25 April and the path towards accession to the European Communities.
• European Integration as Structural Transformation
  The role of accession and European funds in the economic and institutional modernisation of Portugal.
• Counterfactual Scenario
  How might Portugal have evolved if it had not joined the European Union?
• Reporting Europe
  Reflections on the experience of being a correspondent in Brussels.
• Press Freedom in Europe
  Current debates, including the European Media Freedom Act.