History graduate student reflects on FLAD Fellowship experience in Portugal

Luiz Francisco Guizzo Gutierrez Osorio, a third-year graduate student studying history at Texas State University, reflects on his experience in Lisbon, Portugal, where he conducted research for his master’s thesis at the Torre do Tombo National Archive as a recipient of the FLAD Short-Term Research Fellowship. The program is aimed at researching Portuguese history, culture, languages, and other related topics.

A Researcher’s First Day at Torre do Tombo

Osorio recalls his first day at the archive as the most impactful moment of his fellowship. The sheer volume of archival collections and the complexity of sorting through historical documents made him realize the vast scope of his research.

“It was overwhelming,” Osorio said. “But after some hours of work, it dawned on me that this was exactly the job—devising methods for working through those archives, making tough decisions, and synthesizing as much as possible within my own clearly defined limitations.”

Despite these challenges, he found the experience invaluable, particularly due to the professionalism and accessibility of the archive’s staff.

“It was one of the most impressive archives I’ve ever visited, not for its grandiosity, but for its history and importance,” he said.

Tracing the Roots of Fascism

Osorio’s research focuses on the development of fascist educational projects within the Portuguese and Spanish dictatorships of the 1930s and ’40s. His thesis examines how the Salazarist and Francoist regimes shaped visions of citizenship during their periods of greatest fascist influence.

His interest in fascism was shaped by his upbringing in Brazil, where he witnessed the rise of neofascist political movements.

“Growing up in Brazil, I had my own unfortunate experience with the rise of neofascist politicians,” Osorio said. “I realized that this wave of far-right authoritarianism was actually a larger global phenomenon and that the only way to truly understand it was by looking into its historical roots.”

By comparing Portuguese and Spanish fascist dictatorships—cases he believes are often overshadowed by Germany and Italy—Osorio aims to analyze the ideological transformation from fascist movements to governance. His goal is to contribute to a broader understanding of how fascist structures evolve and how they can be identified in contemporary contexts.

Academic Journey and Achievements

Osorio began his academic career at the Universidade Federal do Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil, before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he earned undergraduate degrees in history and political science, with a minor in anthropology. In 2022, he began his master’s program in TXST’s history department, where he serves as a graduate instructional assistant.

Since arriving at TXST, Osorio has received numerous academic honors, including:

• College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Master’s Student Award
• Brian, Judy and Ron C. Brown Endowment in Thesis Development and Completion Award
• Kenneth and Patricia Margerison Graduate Research Fellowship

Applying for the FLAD Fellowship

Osorio first learned about the FLAD fellowship after attending a custom presentation for the Department of History led by Brian Smith, DMA, and Cathlin Noonan, MFA. While searching for scholarships that aligned with his research needs, he came across the opportunity, which turned out to be an ideal fit.

The FLAD fellowship, offered in partnership with the National Archive of Torre do Tombo, provides research grants to students, teachers, and researchers from U.S. universities and institutions. The program supports projects related to archival sciences, history, Portuguese culture, and language, with the goal of strengthening Portuguese-American academic collaboration.

“I believe I was selected because of how well my research proposal fits into the donor organization’s purposes and goals,” he said. “My project is tied to the historical memory of Portugal, required access to national archive documentation, and was to be elaborated and published in the United States.”

For future applicants, Osorio recommends seeking funding opportunities tailored to their specific research locations.

“I’d advise them to look for opportunities around the archives, libraries, or other depositories they intend to visit,” he said. “The opportunities they find will be better tailored to their needs, making them stronger candidates.”

Looking Ahead

Osorio plans to pursue a Ph.D. and to continue expanding his research on fascist regimes and their educational frameworks. The materials he collected in Portugal will be instrumental in completing his master’s thesis and future scholarly work.

“Since I plan on going into a Ph.D. program in the near future to continue this work, I believe that I will be working with much of it for a long time going forward,” he said.

As he reflects on his experience in Portugal, Osorio remains grateful for the opportunity to conduct research in a place that linguistically and culturally reminded him of home.