Brazilian Thought in Literature and Art (Pensamento brasileiro na literatura e nas artes) 3305-MBLS-31
The course covers the following topics:
• the impact of the War of Canudos on the construction of Brazilian national identity and its representation in literature and other cultural texts;
• the significance of the “sertão” in the Brazilian cultural imaginary;
• the Week of Modern Art (Semana de Arte Moderna, 1922) in São Paulo and modernism in Brazilian literature and art – their importance for national culture and identity;
• ethnic and cultural miscegenation and its role in the Brazilian identity-building process;
• the influence of Gilberto Freyre’s thought on national identity and the development of the “myth of racial democracy”;
• the concept of “cordialidade” in the thought of Sérgio Buarque de Holanda as a key to understanding Brazil’s socio-political phenomena;
• the Brazilian nation-building process according to O Povo Brasileiro by Darcy Ribeiro;
• the concept of “jeitinho” in reflections on the Brazilian national character in the work of Roberto DaMatta.
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge – The student knows and understands:
The student knows and understands the basic terminology of the humanities in relation to Brazilian thought, its sources, and applications. They also understand the research methodology connected with Brazilian philosophical thought, as well as its subject-matter and methodological links to other academic disciplines. The student knows and understands the phenomena concerning the history, literature, and culture of the Portuguese-speaking Brazilian area, as well as the main trends in the development of Brazilian thought and the essential criteria for the professional analysis of cultural processes. The student also knows and understands contemporary cultural life in Brazil.
(K_W02, K_W03, K_W04, K_W06, K_W07, K_W08, K_W09)
Skills – The student is able to:
The student is able to search for, analyze, evaluate, select, and use information related to the subject of study. They apply basic research skills related to Brazilian thought, which include formulating and analyzing research problems, selecting research methods and tools, and developing and presenting results. The student is able to use fundamental theoretical approaches, paradigms, and concepts specific to Brazilian social and philosophical thought. They also recognize different types of cultural products related to this field and are able to interpret and contextualize them. Additionally, the student is capable of providing well-substantiated arguments based on the views of other authors and formulating conclusions.
(K_U01, K_U03, K_U04, K_U05, K_U06)
Social Competences – The student is ready to:
The student understands the need for continuous self-improvement in the spirit of lifelong learning and is prepared to communicate and collaborate within Portuguese-speaking communities, taking responsibility for preserving their cultural heritage. The student is also ready to follow processes and phenomena occurring in the Portuguese-speaking world in relation to philosophical thought and its connections to culture, art, and politics, as well as to actively participate in culture.
(K_K01, K_K03, K_K06, K_K07, K_K08)
Assessment criteria
The main teaching methods used in the course include:
critical analysis of texts or text excerpts, which participants are expected to read in advance;
joint reading and discussion of selected source materials;
analysis of artworks in relation to the concepts and topics covered (including literary and musical works, films, paintings, comics, etc.);
group discussions moderated by the instructor;
lecture elements – introductions to the topics covered in class and explanations of their historical, political, and cultural contexts.
The final grade consists of:
the grade from the written exam at the end of the semester (60%)
active participation in class, preparation based on assigned materials, including presentations of selected texts (50%).
Number of excused absences allowed: 2
Practical placement
Bibliography
Andrade, Mário. (2008) Macunaíma: o herói sem nenhum caráter. Rio de Janeiro: Agir. [fragmenty]
Andrade, Oswald. de. (1991) Mensagem ao Antropófago desconhecido. In: Andrade, Oswald de. Estética e. Política. São Paulo: Globo, pp. 285-286.
Bentes, I. (2007) Sertões e favelas no cinema brasileiro contemporâneo: estética e cosmética da fome. Revista Alceu, v. 8, n.15, pp. 242- 255.
DaMatta, Roberto. (1997) O que faz o brasil, Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: Rocco. [fragmenty]
Freyre, Gilberto. (2003) Casa-grande & Senzala: formação da família brasileira sob o regime da economia patriarcal. 48ª ed. SãoPaulo: Editora Global. [fragmenty]
Galvão, W. Nogueira. (1981) Os Sertões para estrangeiros. In: Gatos de outro saco. Ensaios críticos. São Paulo: Brasiliense, pp. 62-84.
Golgman, F. O Brasil traduzido no cinema. in: Madeira, A. & Veloso, M. (orgs.) Descobertas do Brasil. Brasília: UnB, 2001.
Holanda. Sérgio Buarque de. (1995) Raízes do Brasil. 26. ed. São Paulo : Companhia das Letras. [fragmenty]
Malinowski, M. (2011) Euclides da Cunha: brazylijski metysaż, cywilizacja i barbarzyństwo. In: Ameryka Łacińska. Kwartalnik analityczno-informacyjny, nr 2(72), pp. 8-22.
https://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/element/bwmeta1.element.desklight-2d476050-4c17-49af-8b39-bb73cfd88f02
Ribeiro, Darcy. (1995) O Povo brasileiro : formação e sentido Do Brasil. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras. [fragmenty]
Digital sources:
https://brasilianafotografica.bn.gov.br/
https://www.bbc.com/portuguese
https://enciclopedia.itaucultural.org.br/
https://portacurtas.org.br/Filmes/
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: