Lorraine Marina Leu

Description

This seminar has three goals:

• introduce some of the most influential topics and theories that have informed contemporary scholarship on Brazilian cultural production;
• introduce research approaches and sources;
• help students develop analytical thinking and writing skills. 

These goals will be met through a combination of reading, discussion, presentations, and research exercises.

The course will introduce students to how discussions surrounding certain ideas have resonated through the work of different scholars, and impacted the conceptualization of Brazilian culture. The course will equip you with some basic theoretical tools and analytical skills necessary for successful participation in graduate seminars and for developing an original research idea that dialogues with theories discussed in the course. By the end of the seminar, you should be able to:

• engage actively in critical discussions of the scholarly literature;
• analytically review a topic of relevance to your research interests;
• develop an original research proposal.

Requirements and grading:

Your grade will be based on: active participation in class discussion (20%); a prospectus for an original research project (20%); and a conference paper developed from your prospectus (40%).

Classes will be taught in English.

Key Background Texts:

BOSI, Alfredo. 1992. Dialética da colonização. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras. Published in English as Colony, Cult and Culture (2008).

CÂNDIDO, Antonio. 1965/2010. Literatura e sociedade: estudos de teoria e história literária. Rio de Janeiro: Academia Brasileira de Letras: Ouro sobre Azul. (Published in English as On Literature and Society. 1995).

LOPES, Denilson. “From the Space In-Between to the Transcultural”. Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies, 16.3, 2007, 359-369.

ORTIZ, Renato. 1985. Cultura brasileira e identidade nacional, São Paulo: Brasiliense.

1988. A moderna tradição brasileira.São Paulo: Brasiliense.

SANTIAGO, Silviano. 2001. The space in-between: Essays on Latin American culture. Ed. Ana Lúcia Gazzola and trans. Tom Burns, Ana Lúcia Gazzola and Gareth Williams. Durham: Duke University Press.

SCHWARZ, Roberto. Misplaced Ideas: Essays on Brazilian Culture. London/New York: Verso, 1992.

DESCRIPTION:

81% of Brazil’s population of 190 million is urban. This course considers how contemporary city dwellers construct identities and how these are represented in film. We will be taking as our point of departure two assumptions made by recent work in cultural theory: firstly, that cultural identity is spatial – constituted in the spaces and spatial practices that define our lives; and secondly, that cultural identity is political – a “battleground”, as Stuart Hall put it, of control and contestation between the state, the media, the culture industries and individuals over how we imagine who we are. The course will look at identities formed through gender, race and class in the context of the urban environment. Our primary focus will be on Rio de Janeiro, and through our analysis of films and readings taken from film studies, spatial theory, cultural geography, sociology, and cultural anthropology, we will explore the intense spatiality of conflict over identity; how cultural struggles can threaten or transform political, social and economic boundaries; and how people negotiate the problems of segregation, crime and violence in the city.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

Students do not need to have prior experience studying film. You will learn about the language of film and we will analyze films clips together as a class throughout the semester. Your grade will be based on: active participation in class discussion (25%); a 4-5 page commentary on a clip of your choosing from one of the films studied on the course (25%); an 8 page journal articles review [4 articles] (25%); and an 8 page commentary on disciplines and methods in urban studies (25%).

Classes will be taught in English. Class participation and the final paper may be in Portuguese, Spanish or English.

FILMS TO BE STUDIED ON THE COURSE INCLUDE:

A Hora da Estrela. Suzana Amaral (1985)

Babilônia 2000. Eduardo Coutinho (2001)

Ônibus 174. José Padilha (2002)

Cidade de Deus. Fernando Meirelles (2002)

Estamira. Marcos Prado (2004)

Tropa de Elite. José Padilha (2007)

Um Lugar ao Sol. Gabriel Mascaro (2009)

Cinco Vezes Favela - Agora por Nós Mesmos. Vários (2010)

coming soon

COURSE TITLE: Cinema & Cultural Identity in Urban Brazil

COURSE NUMBER: POR 380

INSTRUCTOR: Leu, Lorraine

DESCRIPTION:

81% of Brazil?s population of 190 million is urban. This course considers how contemporary city dwellers construct identities and how these are represented in film. We will be taking as our point of departure two assumptions made by recent work in cultural theory: firstly, that cultural identity is spatial ? constituted in the spaces and spatial practices that define our lives; and secondly, that cultural identity is political ? a ?battleground?, as Stuart Hall put it, of control and contestation between the state, the media, the culture industries and individuals over how we imagine who we are. The course will look at identities formed through nation, gender, sexuality, race and class in the context of the urban environment. Our primary focus will be on Rio de Janeiro, and we will also consider case studies from São Paulo. Through our analysis of these films and supplementary reading on social history and spatial theory, we will explore the intense spatiality of conflict over identity; how cultural struggles can threaten or transform political, social and economic boundaries; and how people negotiate the problems of segregation, crime and violence in the city.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:

Students do not need to have prior experience studying film. You will learn about the language of film and we will analyze films clips together as a class throughout the semester. Your grade will be based on: active class participation, including exercises such as leading class discussion (20%); a 2-3 page analysis of an aspect of urban or spatial theory (20%); a 2-3 page commentary on a clip of your choosing from one of the films studied, or another film to be agreed with the instructor (20%); and a final research paper (40%). Classes will be taught in Portuguese. Class participation and the final paper may be in Portuguese, Spanish or English.

FILMS TO BE STUDIED ON THE COURSE INCLUDE:

Berlim na Batucada. Luiz de Barros (1944, if available, currently being restored for re-release at the Museum of Modern Art, Rio de Janeiro)

A Grande Cidade. Carlos Diegues (1966)

Babilônia 2000. Eduardo Coutinho (2001)

Ônibus 174. José Padilha (2002)

Cidade de Deus. Fernando Meirelles (2002)

O Príncipe. Ugo Giorgetti (2002)

Antônia. Tata Amaral (2006)

Um Lugar ao Sol. Gabriel Mascaro (2009)