HISTORY 387: Brazilian Fantasy, History, and Culture Fall 2015 Professor Ben Cowan Course Time and Location: Email:
[email protected] Tuesday, 4:30-7:10PM Office: Robinson B-377D Planetary Hall 212 Office Hours: Th 3-5 and by appt COURSE DESCRIPTION Samba! Sex! Soccer! What do these stereotypes about Brazil reflect? Where do they come from? The Portuguese phrase país do samba e do futebol—“the country of samba and soccer”—expresses a sometimes ironic self-consciousness about these hallmarks of identity and perception of what Brazil is, both in Brazil and beyond. So, then, what is Brazil—or Brazilianness? In this class we will think about the ways in which people and cultures in Brazil have developed, been represented, been fantasized about, and why these things are so. We’ll explore where samba comes from and how it came to be Brazil’s “national” dance; why Brazil has so often been identified with sensuality and sexuality, especially sensual femininity; and what does make soccer important in Brazil. We’ll think about how and why ideas about Brazilianness range from deep, medieval Catholicism to oversexed libertinism; from “savage” and “underdeveloped” to urbane and techy; and from “Latin” to African to indigenous. At the heart of our stories will be questions about sexuality, gender, race, nation-building, and identity—we will use sources ranging from novels to sociological studies to films to analyze the ways these tropes have shaped the idea of Brazil, within and without. REQUIRED TEXTS (AVAILABLE AT LIBRARY RESERVE or for purchase): Darlene Sadlier, Brazil Imagined: 1500 to the Present K.