BRASA is an international, interdisciplinary group of scholars who support and promote Brazilian studies in all fields, especially in the humanities and social sciences.  BRASA is dedicated to the promotion of Brazilian studies around the world in general, and in the United States in particular.

BRASA organizes an international congress on Brazilian studies every other year.  The most recent congress, BRASA IX, was held at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 27-29, 2008.  BRASA X will take place 22-24 July 2010 in Brasília at the Meliá 21 Convention Center.  The Program Committee is currently reviewing the paper and panel submissions and will announce the preliminary program for BRASA X in early January 2010.

BRASA currently has more than 600 members in the United States, Brazil, Europe, and many other Latin American countries.

The organization is funded through the dues of its members and generous support from the College of Arts and Science at Vanderbilt University.

On Thursday, October 15, the University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign inaugurated the Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies. Brazilian businessman Jorge Paulo Lemann donated $14 million to the University to establish the institute.  The purpose of the  Institute is to:  Promote research on Brazil by members of the faculty; encourage collaborative research between U of I faculty and Brazilian colleagues; organize periodic conferences on Brazilian topics; promote instruction on Brazilian topics in various disciplines; promote the study of the Brazilian Portuguese language and literature; facilitate visits to Brazil by U of I students and faculty, and visits to the U of I by Brazilian scholars and students.

Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies

The Brazil Initiation Scholarship (BIS) is a key component of BRASA’s agenda to expand Brazilian Studies in the United States. BRASA invites applications from graduate and undergraduate students for a one-time $1,500 travel scholarship to do exploratory research or language study in Brazil. This scholarship targets aspiring Brazilianists with relatively little or no experience in Brazil. It seeks to contribute to the student’s initial trip (for a period from six weeks to three months), to heighten the student’s interest in Brazil, and deepen his/her commitment to Brazilian studies in the United States. Students are encouraged to combine this scholarship with other grants or awards. Recipients will be recognized during the awards ceremony of BRASA international congresses. Funding will be disbursed prior to travel.

Deadline for applications is November 15, 2009.

For more information and the application forms click on the Novidades tab in the lefthand column.

The Roberto Reis BRASA Book Award recognizes the two best books in Brazilian Studies published in English that contribute significantly to promoting an understanding of Brazil. This award honors Roberto Reis, one of the founders of BRASA, who was committed to developing Brazilian Studies in the United States.  The two best books will receive US$200 awards each. The two honorable mentions will receive certificates.

Guidelines for submissions:

1. In order to submit a book for consideration as an award recipient, the author of the book must be a member of BRASA who is up-to-date in dues.
2. Only books published between January 2008 and June 2009 are eligible for the awards.
3. The book submission must have been published in English.
4. The author of the book must submit three copies by mail to the Secretariat at Vanderbilt University by December 31, 2009.  Late submissions will not be considered.  Book submissions will not be returned.
5. Deliberations and awarding the Prizes

a)      The Secretariat shall send a simple e-mail to each author indicating that the submission has been received.

b)      The committee shall make decisions on the awards, plus two honorable mentions, by June 1, 2010.

c)      The Secretariat shall send a letter to the winners. Announcement of the winners shall also be made through the BRASA listserv and on the website, and at the X BRASA International Conference opening ceremonies held in Brasília on July 22, 2010. 

BRASA                                                              Prize Committee:
Vanderbilt University                                            Jeffrey Needell (History) University of Florida
VU Station B 350031                                          John Karam (Anthropology) DePaul University
2301 Vanderbilt Place                                         Rebecca Atencio (Portuguese) Tulane University
Nashville, TN 37235-0031

   New article on Brasilianists in Valor Economico 

Click here for a bibliography on Brazilian emigration with more than 250 sources prepared by Maxine Margolis, University of Florida

For more information on other topics click on the Novidades tab in the left-hand column.

                                                          BRASA
                                                          VU Station B 350031
                                                          2301 Vanderbilt Place
                                                          Vanderbilt University
                                                          Nashville, Tennessee 37235-0031
                                                          U.S.A.

                                                          615-343-1764 (tel)
                                                          615-343-6002 (fax)

                                                          email: brasa@vanderbilt.edu

To foster a broader and deeper understanding of Brazil and encourage the teaching of the Portuguese language.

To encourage a multidisciplinary approach to scholarly research and to seek to promote dissemination of research results.

To provide a forum for policy makers, scholars and the public sector to exchange views on problems unique to Brazil and its role in world and regional affairs.

To foster cooperation with the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) and with the several regional Latin American and Brazilian studies associations as well as with other public and private organizations.

To foster the establishment of interdisciplinary Brazilian studies programs in those institutions of secondary and higher education where they do not now exist.

To encourage cooperative research between Brazilian and non-Brazilian colleagues and facilitate relations between American, Brazilian, and other universities and research organizations.

To stimulate the establishment of scholarships, grants, and exchange programs for students and scholars.

To discuss, publicize and exchange experiences related to the problems and needs in Brazilian Studies as an inter-disciplinary field of studies.