First-Year Writing Seminar (105-8-1)
Topic
Black Lives in Brazil: Afro-Brazilian Writing, Cul
Instructors
Jacob Charles Brown
847/491-4389
3-149 Crowe Hall
Office Hours: Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am-12pm
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 4-410: Mon, Wed, Fri 1:00PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
Black Lives in Brazil: Afro-Brazilian Writing, Culture, and Perspectives
Black writing matters, and Afro-Brazilian authors have made indispensable contributions to the literature of the Americas and the African diaspora. Brazil has the largest Afrodescendant population outside of Africa. It was the last country in the Western hemisphere to formally abolish slavery in 1888, and it imported more enslaved human beings from the transatlantic slave trade than any other country in the world. Africans and their descendants have shaped virtually every aspect of Brazilian culture, history, and society. So why focus on Afro-Brazilian literature? How do we define it, and what does it have to say about Black history, Black identity, and Black lives in Brazil?
To explore these questions, students will analyze English-language translations of Afro-Brazilian fiction, poetry, testimony, theory, graphic novels, documentary, and song lyrics. These texts reveal the central role of Afro-Brazilian women in the construction of Afro-Brazilian literature. By the end of the course, students will be able to name some of the most influential Afro-Brazilian authors and make meaningful connections and comparisons between their rich and multifaceted works. Students will also be able to write and talk about how Black authors have challenged racism and intersecting structures of oppression in a global context from the 19th century to the present. Students will leave the class with an appreciation for how Afro-Brazilian literature can help us not only critique society but also collectively imagine a more equitable and inclusive future for all in Brazil and beyond.
Registration Requirements
This is a first-year seminar; students must be first-year students.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to
- Name some of the most influential Afro-Brazilian authors from the 19th century to the present
- Make meaningful connections and comparisons between their rich and multifaceted works
- Identify key concepts and themes in literary texts and analyze them in written and oral contexts
- Support original arguments with textual evidence from assigned readings and independent research
- Write and talk about how Black authors have challenged intersecting structures of oppression
- Reflect on and express their own learning from the course in written and oral contexts
Evaluation Method
In-class contributions and collaboration with peers 10%
Individual author presentation 5%
Team guest-lecture 15%
Short blog posts (5) 25% (5% each, the lowest score will drop)
2 3-5-page critical analysis essays 30% (15% each)
Final project: annotated timeline of authors and works 15%
Class Materials (Required)
- Evaristo, Conceição. Ponciá Vicêncio
9780924047336, 9780924047343, 092404733X, 0924047348
- Firmina dos Reis, Maria. Úrsula
9781951470098, 1951470095
- Vieira, Itamar, Jr. Torto Arado [Crooked Plow]
9781839766404, 1839766409
Class Materials (Suggested)
Poems, short stories, documentaries, articles, and other materials will be uploaded onto Canvas for student access.
Class Attributes
WCAS Writing Seminar