African anti-colonialism and the ultramarinos of the casa dos estudantes do império

In this article, I examine the “space between” occupied by students at the Casa dos Estudantes do Império, a crucial nexus for independence campaigns in Lusophone Africa. Drawing on readings of the Casa’s journal, Mensagem, I argue that the students saw political affiliation as a constant movement between formulations of “home” and “the world.” I situate this dilaectical approach in the context of Portuguese fascism, paying particular attention to the political poetry published in Mensagem, and analyzing the ways in which members of the Casa imagined their relationship to other African anti-colonial movements.