In Memoriam: Maria Paula Meneses

The Center for African and Development Studies (CEsA/ISEG-ULisboa) expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of Maria Paula Meneses, coordinating researcher at the Center for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra (CES/UC) and a leading figure in postcolonial studies and the epistemologies of the Global South.

Throughout her academic and scholarly career, Maria Paula Meneses distinguished herself through her rigorous scholarship, which was committed to cognitive justice, dialogue among different bodies of knowledge, and a critical examination of colonial legacies, leaving a lasting mark on research and public debate.

CEsA recalls, with particular gratitude, the generous way in which she honored our community with her presence on at least two occasions: at a colloquium organized as part of the “Nation and Postcolonial Narrative” project and, later, as a panelist in the “Cinema and Decolonization” series—moments that enriched our collective thinking and deepened dialogues crucial to our work.

In this time of sorrow, we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues at CES/UC, and all the people and institutions with whom she shared paths of research and life.

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