Scientia International Journal of Human Sciences 10 of 14
them from other peoples and nations. “Identity is not merely what one is; it is what one claims to be—many
voices, many statements, and thus various subjects and various representations” (Silva, 2018, p. 18). In the
opening sections of his study, Silva (2018) revisits Portugal’s historical past of great conquests
(“discoveries”) and voyages across the American and African continents, listing these figures as defining
elements of Portugal’s national/cultural identity. In other words, there is a strong connection to the seas and
to geopolitical strategies, which in turn gave rise to hybrid cultural alchemies. Bringing the debate into the
contemporary era, the author concludes that in postmodernity, Portugal acquired “Western-centric” traits and,
perhaps for this reason, the best and greatest unifying element of Portuguese cultural identity is the language.
Ferreira’s dissertation (2021) discusses the cultural identity of Portuguese Generation Z and how it
has been shaped by media mechanisms, leading to its Americanization. The author states that “Cultural
identity is an aspect that develops according to the environment in which a person is embedded; family,
school, experiences, language, and traditions are just some of the aspects that impact cultural identity”
(Ferreira 2021, p.6). In her research, Ferreira highlights that young Portuguese people shape their identities
in a hybrid and multicultural way, creating a peaceful foundation for coexistence between local and global
culture. As in other studies already cited, she indirectly points to language as one of the hallmarks of
Portugal’s cultural identity. The brief study by Castro & Ribeiro (2022) with higher education students in
Bragança confirms Ferreira’s (2021) observations, identifying language as a strong defining element of
cultural identity in postmodern times.
3. Considerations, Implications, and Future Research Directions
In this brief survey we conducted on Portuguese cultural identity in recent academic works, we
observed that the most frequently cited element constituting markers of Portuguese identity is the Portuguese
language; it transcends eras and occupies an ambiguous position, bringing cultures together while at times
establishing who the “outsiders” and the dominated are. As for the so-called “heroes” of the Age of
Discovery—sometimes caricatured—literature, fado, and nationalist symbols (flag, anthem, traditional
dress), and religion, in the words of the thinkers analyzed, refer to a recent but outdated past, one that right-
wing political movements attempt to revive through anti-immigration and, to some extent, xenophobic
campaigns. On the other hand, soccer, wine tourism, and gastronomic, cultural, and consumerist tourism are
linked to globalizing, cosmopolitan, multicultural, and postmodern contexts. There are explicit elements,
such as the aforementioned “ ,” as well as implicit and psychosocial elements that constitute Portuguese
Cultural Identity. Fraternity, hospitality, sentimentality, and saudade, as well as ways of life outside major
cities, are examples of this. We believe that for a deeper analysis of the theme of Portuguese Cultural Identity