Admission requirements
Major Students: pending the OER.
Other students: Students who speak/understand Portuguese and want to follow this course as an optional course: please contact tutor. Every effort is made to accommodate interested students.
Description
The course provides a broad survey of the complex network of exchanges and intersections in the Portuguese-speaking world, to help shed light on Brazil in a global perspective. Cultural connections within the Portuguese-speaking world that will be considered might include the history and cultural representations of colonialism and its legacy, the connections between Brazilian culture and the literatures of Portuguese-speaking Africa; the history of migration to/from Portugal; Cape-Verdean culture in the Netherlands; cultural transits between Brazil and India and East Timor. The course will discuss key cultural concepts and a variety of texts and genres (written and filmic) as it explores a fascinating history of cultural exchange. Topics covered might include: the Atlantic as a space of memory and resistance, culture as resistance in colonial and postcolonial contexts; cultural representations of slavery and its aftermath; writing and orality; migration and diaspora.
Course objectives
Knowledge and insight:
Gain an understanding of key historical and contemporary connections of Brazil in transnational perspective.
Study of some key authors and texts drawn from the Portuguese-speaking world, including connections with Brazilian culture.
Develop critical and analytical skills through close textual analysis of literary and filmic texts.
Familiarize students with cultural theories that originate from or are relevant to a critical understanding of the Portuguese-speaking world. Familization with literary/film criticism and theoretical frameworks which help illuminate the multi-genre/media texts at hand.
Academic skills and transferable (useful job market skills) that are developed include:
Oral presentation skills:
1. to explain clear and substantiated class readings (primary/secondary);
2. in the form of a clear and well-structured oral presentation and 3. in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria; using up-to-date presentation techniques; aimed at a specific audience;
4. to actively participate in a discussion following the presentation.
Collaboration skills:
1. to be socio-communicative in collaborative situations;
2. to provide and receive constructive criticism, and incorporate justified criticism by revising one’s own position;
3. adhere to agreed schedules and priorities
Project/time management skills.
Intercultural skills (communicate in different languages; understand cultural nuances etc.)
Basic research skills, including heuristic skills:
1. to collect and select academic literature using traditional and digital methods and techniques;
2. to analyze and assess this literature;
3. to formulate a sound research question (essay title/theme) using the literature provided and possibly additional sources;
4. to design under supervision a research plan/paper of limited scope, and implement it using the methods and techniques that are appropriate within the discipline involved;
5. to formulate a substantiated conclusion.
Written presentation skills:
1. to explain clear and substantiated research results;
2. to provide an answer to questions concerning (a subject) in the field covered by the course
a. in the form of a clear and well-structured written presentation (includes use of digital skills);
b. in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria;
c. using relevant illustration or multimedia techniques;
Timetable
Mode of instruction
Lectures & Seminars
Assessment method
Presentation or video-essay with class discussion 30%
Final essay or podcast – approx 3000 words - 70%
To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following:
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.
Resit
There is no resit for the presentation.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
The reading list will be made available to students in due course.
Registration
Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Reuvensplaats
Remarks
Minimum attendance requirement to complete the module: 80% attendance.