The book and the label: catholic publishers in Brazil

Abstract

In this paper we aim at studying the edition of Catholic books through an exploratory survey on publishers' websites as well as through interviews with book editors. We examine the effects of the international circulation of religious congregations in the editorial production in Brazil during the 20th century. We intend to understand the strategies and investments made by the clergy and the laymen involved in the production of Catholic books, magazines and journals, by following the movements of different groups within the Catholic ranks. We specifically try to: define the places these groups occupy in the society; interpret their bonds, their solidarity and social networks; compare policies, investments and strategies to the historical moments of the Church and the society in which they are present. This perspective also includes the study of the relationships between the Catholic publishers and the book market as well as the innovations and challenges posed by the competition among the different Catholic lines or between Catholicism and other religions.

Catholic Publishers; book; congregations religions; international circulation