A priest of folklore: Manuel Diégues Júnior’s work in the Rio de Janeiro press (1940-1960)

ABSTRACT

This paper examines Manuel Diégues Júnior’s contributions to the Rio de Janeiro press. To this end, we adopted an approach that combines quantitative analysis with a close reading of the published texts. The results reveal Diégues’s commitment to cultivating and disseminating the social sciences amid the dynamic process of defining its disciplinary boundaries. The adoption of a “communicational” approach highlights the creation of a public space for this knowledge and enables a reassessment of the place and meanings of Diégues Júnior’s work within the context of the pioneering generations of social scientists in Brazil. Therefore, the article contributes to a deeper understanding of the process of systematization of the field.

KEYWORDS:
Manuel Diégues Júnior; Social Sciences in the press; Brazilian social thought; Folklore and Social Sciences; Brazilian folklore movement