HOWARD UNIVERSITY/ VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY/ UNIVERSIDADE DE SAO PAULO/ UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DA BAHIA
SUMMER COURSE, 2007 (Proposed Syllabus)
RACE, DEVELOPMENT AND INEQUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY BRAZILIAN SOCIETY
The course is an introduction to Brazil's complex contemporary social situation and rich popular culture. Special attention will be given to the social plight as well as the cultural production and social life of the large Afro-Brazilian population. The course will start with a sketch of the key features in Brazilian history, in which slavery and the plantation take a prominent position. It follows an overview of the past and present in Brazilian race relations with their peculiar combination of racism and a non-polarized lexical proclivity and celebration of 'mixture'. Then, key aspects of urban life will be examined because they highlight both the specificities and universality of Brazilian society - the production of popular music, the celebration of the Nation through moments of collective leisure (carnival, samba, beach life), the selective incorporation of black popular culture in what comes to be the overall Brazilian popular culture, the broad and shifting religious panorama, violence and street life, the tropicalization of Brazil.The course will be held in one of the cities that has most contributed to the creation of a Brazilian black culture. Moreover, Salvador offers important insights into Brazilian cultural more generally, and a combination of historical sites, beautiful geographic position and lively cultural life at many different levels. A number of classes will be ‘on site’, i.e., there will be guided excursion to museums, carnival associations, Afro-Brazilian organizations and historical locations. In addition, it will be organized small groups to attend Candomblé ceremonies (Festas de Candomblé).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Class participation in discussions (20%); 1 paper evaluating social relations and their relationship with history and economics in the light of the reading as well as observation in Sao Paulo (40%); 1 paper evaluating race relations and their relationship with popular culture in the light of the reading as well as observation in Salvador (40%).
Requirements:
1) Attend all class sessions and excursions.
2) Read and be prepared to discuss all assigned material. Come to class with a critical or analytical comment, or with a series of questions about the readings.
3) Two five-page papers;
Tentative outline of lecture/discussion topics:
1. Brazil History
2. Political Institutions
3. Diversity in Brazilian Corporations
4. Contemporary race relations
5. The contemporary black movement
6. Gender and sexuality
7. Afro-Brazilian religion
8. Afro-Brazilian music and popular culture
9. Literary, cinematic, and artistic expressions and representations
10. Grassroots organizations
The fact that the course will incorporate a number of excursions and guest lectures will require a certain amount of flexibility to adapt to speakers' other commitments. Unless otherwise noted classes will be held at the following location:
FACULDADE DE ECONOMIA E ADMINISTRAÇÃO (USP): São Paulo
CENTRO DE ESTUDOS AFRO-ORIENTAIS (UFBA): Salvador
COURSE SCHEDULE 2007
CLASSES: FEA/USP (MAY 28 – JUNE 1ST )
WEEK 1 (MAY 28 – JUNE 15)
Monday, May 28 (at FEA)
9:15 – 10:15: Program Presentation
10:30 – 12:30: Cultural Differences: learning from living abroad
12:30 – 01:30: Welcome Lunch
01:30 – 02:00: Tour at FEA Facilities
02:00 – 05:00: Portuguese Class
Tuesday, May 29
09:45 – 11:15: Brazilian Economy I
11:30 – 01:00: Diversity in Brazilian Corporations
02:00 – 04:30: Portuguese Class
Wednesday, May 30
10:00 – 13:00: Portuguese Class
02:00 – 04:00: Brazil History
Thursday, May 31
10:30 – 01:00: Visit to ‘Quilombo’
02:00 – 05:00: Portuguese Class
Friday, June 1
10:00 – 01:00: Portuguese Class
Afternoon: Weekly Wrap up Session
WEEK 2 (JUNE 4 – June 8)
Monday, June 4
10:00 – 01:00: Portuguese Class
02:00 – 04:00: Portuguese Class
Tuesday, June 5
10:30 – 12:30: Visit to American Chamber of Commerce
02:00 – 05:00: Portuguese Class
Wednesday, June 6
10:00 – 11:00: Political Institutions
11:15 – 01:15: Portuguese Class
Thursday, June 7 to Sunday, June 9
Trip to Rio de Janeiro
WEEK 3 (JUNE 11-15)
Monday, Jun 11 (at FEA)
11:00 – 13:00: Portuguese Class
02:00 – 05:00: Visit Afro-Brazilian Museum
Tuesday, Jun 12
10:00 – 13:00: Visit to Favela Monte Azul
02:30 – 04:30: Portuguese Class
Wednesday, Jun 13
10:00 – 13:00: Portuguese Class
02:00 – 04:00: Brazil History
Thursday, June 14
10:30 – 13:00: Portuguese Class
Afternoon: Free
Friday, June 15
11:00 – 12:00: Evaluation Program
12:00 – 01:00: Closing Lunch
03:00: Trip to Bahia
CLASSES: CEAO/UFBA (JUNE 18 – JULY 7 )
WEEK 4 (JUNE 18-22)
Monday, Jun 18 (at CEAO)
09:00 – 11:00: Guided Visit to Pelourinho/Historic Center
11:30-12:00: Opening Cerimony (CEAO)
02:00 – 04:00: Historical and actual ties between Bahia and Africa
Video Session: ‘Na rota dos orixás. Mensageiro entre dois mundos’.
Tuesday, Jun 19
10:00 – 12:00: The History of Race Relations in Bahia Livio Sansone
02:00-04:00: Capoeira Class
Wednesday, Jun 20
10:00 – 12:00: The history of an afro-brazilian game
Video Session: Capoeiragem na Bahia
02:00-04:00: Guided Visit to a black political organization
Thursday, June 21
02:00-04:00: Racism in Brasil: a contemporary debate
Video Session (A Negação do Brasil)
Paula Barreto
02:00-04:00: Afro-Dance Class
Friday, June 22
10:00 – 12:00: Black political organizations and the anti-racist movement in Brazil Cloves Oliveira
02:00 – 04:00: Field visit to “afro-roots” tourist sites
WEEK 5 (JUNE 25-29)
Monday, Jun 25 (at CEAO)
10:00 – 12:00: Gender and sexuality: inequality, identity and political mobilization Vilma Reis
02:00 – 04:00: Guided Visit to a black women organization
Tuesday, Jun 26
10:00 – 12:00: The afro-brazilian religion: the history and rituals of the candombles of Bahia Luis Nicolau/Julio Braga
02:00-04:00: Guided Visit to a candomble house
Wednesday, Jun 27
10:00 – 12:00: Afro-Catholicism in Bahia
02:00-04:00: Guided Visit to a Community Association
Thursday, June 28
02:00-04:00: Understanding educational and cultural impact of ‘orixá’ / ‘nkisi’ tradition Juanita Elbein/Valdina Pinto
02:00-04:00: Guided Visit to SECNEB
Friday, June 29
10:00 – 12:00: Black Music in Bahia João Jorge/Vovô
02:00 – 04:00: Guided Visit to a Black Music Group/Association
WEEK 6 (JULY 2 - 6)
Monday, July 2
09:00-01:00: Independence Day Parade
Tuesday, Jul 3
10:00 – 12:00: The Carnival of Salvador, Bahia ,Guest Lecturer: Milton Moura
02:00-04:00: Guided Visit to a carnival organization
Wednesday, Jul 4
10:00 – 12:00: Afro-Brazilian Literature,Guest Lecturer: Florentina da Silva Souza
02:00-04:00:
Thursday, Jul 5
02:00-04:00: The representations of afro-brazilians in the cinema and television
02:00-04:00: Videos: A Negação do Brasil; Notícias de uma Guerra Particular
Friday, July 6
10:00 – 12:00:
02:00 – 04:00:
REQUIRED READING
Books
Required:
Skidmore, Thomas E. Black into White: Race and Nationality in Brazilian Thought. 1974;1993. Durham: Duke University Press, 1998.
Recommended:
Amado, Jorge. Tent of Miracles. Tr. Barbara Shelby. New York:Alfted A. Knopf, 1971.
or
Amado, Jorge. Tenda dos Milagres, Rio de Janeiro: Record.
Reader
Barcelos, Luiz Claudio. "Struggling in paradise: racial mobilization and the contemporary black movement in Brazil". In Reichmann, Rebecca (Ed.). Race in Contemporary Brazil: from Indifference to Inequality. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press. pp.155-166. 1999.
Carneiro, Suely. Black women’s identity in Brazil. In Reichmann, Rebecca (Ed.). Race in Contemporary Brazil: from Indifference to Inequality. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press. pp.217-228. 1999.
Guimarães, Antonio Sérgio Alfredo. “Measures to combat discrimination and racial inequality in Brazil”. In Reichmann, Rebecca (Ed.). Race in Contemporary Brazil: from Indifference to Inequality. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press. pp.155-166. 1999.
Guimarães, Antonio Sérgio Alfredo. Racism and the restrictions of individual rights: racial discrimination in the Brazilian press.
Johnson, Paul Christopher. “What is candomblé?”. In Secrets, gossip, and gods. New York: Oxford Univ. Press. 2002.
Lima, Ari. "Black or Brau: music and black subjectivity in a global context". In Perrone, Charles A.; Dunn, Christopher (Eds.). Brazilian Popular Music & globalization., Gainesville, Florida: Florida University Press. pp.220-232. 2001.
Moura, Milton. “World of fantasy, fantasy of world. Geographic space and representation of identity in the carnival of Bahia”. In: Perrone, Charles A.; Dunn, Christopher (eds.), Brazilian Popular Music & globalization. Gainesville, Florida: Florida University Press. pp.161-176. 2001.
Oliveira, Cloves Luis Pereira. “Struggling for a place: race, gender, and class in political elections in Brazil”. In Reichmann, Rebecca (Ed.). Race in Contemporary Brazil: from Indifference to Inequality. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press. pp.167-177. 1999.
Pinho, Osmundo de Araújo. "Fogo na Babilônia: reggae, black counterculture, and globalization in Brazil". In Perrone, Charles A.; Dunn, Christopher (Eds.). Brazilian Popular Music & globalization., Gainesville, Florida: Florida University Press. pp.192-206. 2001.
Sansone, Livio. "A contested icon: on the use and abuse of Africa in elite and popular brazilian culture"; "The place of Brazil in the Black Atlantic"; “Negro parents, black children: racial classification in a changing Brazil”. In Blackness Without Ethnicity, New York: Palgrave. 2003.
Teles dos Santos, Jocélio. "A mixed-race nation. Afro-Brazilians and cultural policy in Bahia, 1970-1990", in: Kraay, Hendrik (Ed.). Afro-Brazilian Culture and Politics. Bahia. 1790's to 1990's. London: M.E. Sharpe, 117-133. 2001.
FIPSE/CAPES Summer Program, 2007
