Ana Maria Simão Saldanha is a Full Professor at the College of Foreign Studies of Hunan Normal University. She holds a post doctorate in Sociology of Literature from the State University of São Paulo (Brazil), a Doctor of Philosophy in Literary Studies and Comparative Literature from the University of Lisbon (Portugal), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Letters, Languages and Human Sciences and Luso Brazilian Studies from the University Stendhal in France.
Throughout her extensive academic career, she has held significant teaching and research positions. She served as a Lecturer at the University Stendhal in France, as an Assistant Professor at the University of the Antilles and the Guyanas in French Guiana, and as an Invited Associate Professor at the Macao Polytechnic University. Additionally, she was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Macau. Her research is deeply interdisciplinary, focusing on the intersection of literature, history, sociology, and political economy. She is currently leading a research project exploring comparative literature and the sociological bridges between the literatures of Brazil, Portugal, and China.
Doctor Saldanha has been the recipient of prestigious international awards and grants, including the Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo in Brazil, the Doctor of Philosophy Fellowship from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia in Portugal, and the Comenius Award from the Socrates program of the European Union.
Her vast scholarly output encompasses a wide array of topics, including the critical analysis of the agrarian question in literary representations, the sociopolitical and aesthetic shifts in (post-)revolution literatures, and the complex interplay between identity, negritude, and cultural hybridity in the Lusophone world. Her research further delves into the symbolic and ideological constructions of national identities, the comparative study of myths and social imaginaries across different continents, and the pedagogical role of literature and cinema in language acquisition. Furthermore, she dedicates significant attention to the study of Chinese and Macanese literature, exploring how these works engage with local identities and international dialogues. She also focuses on the translation and reception of Portuguese speaking authors in contemporary China, bridging the gap between Eastern and Western literary traditions.
Doctor Saldanha is also an active translator, having translated works such as Mencius (2024, 2025). Her academic leadership includes the coordination of research projects and scientific committees. A portion of her extensive academic work is available on her profile athttps://hunnu.academia.edu/AnaMariaSaldanha. Her career remains anchored in a commitment to pedagogical excellence and the advancement of knowledge in the fields of Portuguese language, world literature, and culture within a global context.