Tomás Motta Tassinari

Tomás Motta Tassinari is a current Researcher at the Department of History of the European University Institute. His work focuses on the intersection of religion, politics, and colonial dynamics in early modern Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the context of Jesuit missions in the Congo and Angola between 1548 and 1681.

• Thesis: The Accommodation of the Conquest: Jesuit Missions in West Central Africa (1548-1681)
• Supervisors: Regina Grafe (Former EUI Professor), Giancarlo Casale
• Nationality: Brazil
• Cohort: 2019

His research spans the 16th and 17th centuries, emphasizing global and imperial history, diplomatic interactions, and the role of religious institutions in shaping colonial societies. Themes include cultural transformations, missionary strategies, and the interplay between local and global power structures.

Recent publications highlight the evolution of Jesuit missions across centuries, comparative colonial dynamics, and the influence of religious narratives on historical memory. His work bridges early modern colonial history with contemporary interpretations, offering insights into the long-term impacts of missionary activities in West Central Africa.