Course Description
Introduction to the real Brazil today, focusing on key issues of contemporary relevance. Rather than emphasizing Brazil’s problems, it explores the innovative ways Brazilians are solving them.
Athena Title
Multidisc Brazilian Studies
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in LACS 2030I
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1) Understand the broad contours of Brazilian history and how many of the country’s issues today have roots in its colonial, slave-holding, economically dependent past. 2) Explain how regionalism, race, class, economic dependency, and environmental destruction shape Brazilian culture. 3) Discuss the most pressing issues Brazil faces today, particularly those related to political crisis and recent major sporting events. 4) Create a website about a topic of contemporary importance in Brazil, analyzing a variety of distinct types of sources in order to craft an argument about your topic. 5) Develop a new understanding of global citizenship and connectedness through contact with Brazilian culture and history.
Topical Outline
Week 1: Brazil in the Brazilian and Foreign Imagination Week 2: Brazilian History I (Colony and Empire, 1500-1888) Week 3: Brazilian History II (Republic, 1888-Present) Week 4: Regionalism Week 5: Race and Class I Week 6: Race and Class II Week 7: Economy I Week 8: Economy II Week 9: Environment I Week 10: Environment II Week 11: Gender and Sexuality Week 12: Poverty and Policing Week 13: The World Cup and Olympics Week 14: Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff Week 15: Global Brazil