Long‐distance dialogues—Writing to communicate Irene Lisboa's (1892–1958) epistolary writing as a field of relationships and meanings

Abstract This article analyzes Irene Lisboa's epistolary correspondence, seeking to understand the relationships established by the author and her correspondents, as well as the meanings constructed therein. Anchored in a qualitative and inductive approach, with an interpretative orientation, the study focuses on a limited corpus of letters, analyzed using qualitative content analysis and narrative analysis techniques. The results highlight correspondence as a dynamic field, marked by the coexistence of strong and weak relationships, as proposed by Granovetter and developed by Filho and Santos (2018, Comunicação e Sociedade, 33, 183), and Ureña‐Carrion et al. (2022, Applied Network Science 7), revealing different intensities of connection, discursive strategies and identity positions. Strong relationships are associated with continuity and affective density, while weak relationships, although more sporadic, play an important role in the circulation of ideas and the author's insertion into cultural and intellectual networks. The analysis demonstrates that letters are situated narrative constructions in which identities and meanings are negotiated, mediating between the intimate and the public. Recognizing the limitations of the corpus and the contextual nature of interpretations, the study highlights the potential of epistolary writing as a privileged source for understanding the relational, cultural and symbolic dynamics of Irene Lisboa's work and career, pointing to avenues for future research.