Prospectus

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Brazil: Construction of a World Power

Course
2023-2024

Admission requirements

This course is open to BA students who have taken at least one course in a relevant area of specialization (i.e. in Latin American studies) in the first year.

Description

This course examines the rise to global prominence of Brazil and the current challenges it faces. The country’s economic, political and social development is traced from the Colonial Period, through independence, the transition to a Republic and to the present day. The course aims to highlight the challenges Brazil has faced as it has striven to develop and close the gap with the advanced, industrialised world. The course also pays close attention to Brazil’s current role in the world, considering its role as a regional power, as a generator and recipient of foreign direct investment and as an increasingly prominent actor in international multilateral bodies. Key topics to be covered include:

Colonial Brazil

From independence to republic

The economic, social and political development of Brazil up to World War II

Developmentalism, import substitution and the rise of Brazil as an industrial power: 1945-1985

Democratisation, globalisation and the conquest of inflation: 1985-2002

Lula, the “New Left”and the attack on poverty: 2002-2010

Contemporary Brazil under Rousseff: a nation in crisis?

Brazil as a contemporary world power: foreign direct investment and homegrown multinationals

Brazil as a contemporary world power: its role as a key actor in multilateral institutions

Brazil as a contemporary world power: foreign policy, peacekeeping activity and South-South activitism

Teaching materials used: readings and lecture slides

Course objectives

By the end of this course students should have acquired the following:

A knowledge of how Brazil has risen to become one of the leading countries of the global south

An understanding of processes of development and how they play out in the Latin American context

An understanding of the political and economic factors which have helped to shape the history of Brazil

Some familiarity with the important contributions of the literature concerning the history of and challenges facing Brazil

Timetable

The timetables are available through My Timetable

Mode of instruction

Lectures

Seminars

Assessment method

Assessment

4000-word essay

Oral presentation.

Weighing

To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following:
the final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average

(Essay 60%; Group Presentation 40%)

Resit

In the case of essays, resubmission in the case of a failed assignment is possible. The maximum possible grade to be obtained for re-submission is a 6.0.

Reading list

Key bibliography:

W. Baer (2013) The Brazilian Economy, Boulder: Lynne Rienner Press (Chs. 1-3)
B. Fausto (1999) A Concise History of Brazil, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Chs 1-6)
A. Fishlow (2011) Starting Over: Brazil Since 1985, Washington DC: Brookings Institution (Ch. 5)
M. Reid (2015) Brazil: The Troubled Rise of a Global Power, New Haven: Yale University Press (especially Part III)
R. Roett (2011) The New Brazil, Washington: Brookings Institution (Ch. 8)

Note: These are introductory readings and further readings in connection with sub-topics will be recommended once the course begins. It is recommended, though not essential, that students review the chapters cited above prior to the commencement of the course. The readings are available via the library and online.

Registration

Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory.

General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.

Registration À la carte education , Contract teaching and Exchange

Information for those interested in taking this course in context of À la carte education (without taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.

Information for those interested in taking this course in context of Contract teaching (with taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.

For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.

Contact

  • For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.

  • For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office:

Arsenaal

Reuvensplaats

Huizinga

De Vrieshof

Student Affairs Office for BA International Studies

Remarks

All other information.