29898 - Portuguese and Brazilian Literature 1 (LM)

Learning outcomes

The student has deep knowledge about the history of Portuguese and Brazilian literatures and cultures, with a particular attention paid to the relation between literary texts and the historical, artistic, conceptual and linguistic contexts. S/he knows, and is able to use, practical and effective methods for the analysis and interpretation of literary texts and other cultural objects through competences of critical theory.

Course contents

The monographic course, delivered in blended mode and entirely in Portuguese, focuses on “The construction of oblivion: Portuguese decolonizations and African independences, half a century of intercultural memories.” On the occasion of half a century of decolonization and/or independences (in 1975), there are still many gray areas that prevent the construction of a truly common memory of Portugal's colonialism in Africa. The collapse of the colonial relationship is still marked by a profound undecidability that cannot be resolved, as has also been the case in other contexts of colonialist Europe, such as France in Algeria, with corpses still unburied in the metropolitan consciousness. The literature on the ‘time of the end’ for Portugal in Africa, from the two possible perspectives of the end of the colony and the beginning of independence (with a corpus that is therefore both Portuguese and Portuguese-speaking African), opens the way for a broad discussion of the controversial and debated memory surrounding the historical process of decolonization following the Colonial War and the Carnation Revolution. In this process, an important role is played not so much or not only by memories and testimonial experiences, which are often very heterogeneous and contrasting. Rather, it is the action of forgetting in its multiple meanings, not only of loss of the past but in particular the ‘constructive forgetting’ (Assmann), which exposes the fractures of the past with its legacy of resentment and conflicts, that becomes even more relevant in contemporary reconstructions.

Readings/Bibliography

Essential references

Primary sources:

José Eduardo Agualusa, Teoria geral do esquecimento (2012)

Antonio Lobo Antunes, O esplendor de Portugal (1997)

Dulce Maria Cardoso, O retorno (2011)

Ondjaki, Bom dia, camaradas (2001)

Pepetela, A geração da utopia (1992)

 

Secondary sources:

Aleida Assmann, Sette modi di dimenticare (2019)

António Costa Pinto, O fim do império português (2001)

Paul Ricoeur, La memoria, la storia, l’oblio (2003)

Fernando Rosas (et al.) O adeus ao império português (2015)

Harald Weinrich, Lete: arte e critica dell’oblio (1999).

 

(an integration of bibliographic references will be provided during the lessons)

 

Teaching methods

The course is delivered in blended mode.The method proposed in the course is mixed: it provides, in addition to the traditional lessons, thanks to the platform Virtuale, collective workshop for the discussion of common texts, the construction of specific thematic routes to each individual student, the planning shared by all the class of a work project (Wiki), a final presentation of each personal work with the participation of all the class. In this way, the preparation is assessed during the course (through the constractivist modality provided by Virtuale- not in a final test.

Assessment methods

The exam aims to assess the achievement of the main learning objectives of the course, namely: forming a deep critical knowledge about the history and theory of Portuguese, Brazilian and African Portuguese-speaking literatures and cultures, with particular attention to the relation between literary texts and the historical, cultural and aesthetic contexts; strengthening a wide knowledge and use of critical methodologies and practices for the analysis and interpretation of literary texts and the historical and cultural contexts. The exam will be articulated on different tests that contribute to determine the final evaluation and disseminated during the course. In fact, it is articulated in different modes: organization of joint seminars where an active participation in the discussion is a favorable element for the assessment of the skills in order to achieve progressively and integrally the course objectives; preparation of a final work with a deep analysis of a topic among those approached during the course and its following discussion in the occasion of a final oral test on the main topics of the course. The student will be put in the condition, either through the lessons and an appropriate path of readings, to achieve the objectives of the course. The evaluation will be proportionate to the performance of the student in the different moments of the course. In this sense, it will be considereted satisfactory an informed knowledge of the main topics addressed, intersected with critical methodologies used during the development of the course. If this essential level is not achieved, the student will be put anyway in the condition, through an integrative program of individual readings, to reach an acceptable level of comptences. The articulation of the knowledges on a more varied and lucidly composed textual, contextual and critical framework, dialoguing not only with the premises but also with the most crucial topics of the course, in particular those of conceptual order, will add value to the overall evaluation of the student. Finally, in this context, the integration of a critical and orginal contribution, capable to open new and alternative perspectives of analysis and interpretation of the mains issues of the course, is evaluated as an excellent result of the student's performance.

Teaching tools

For its conceptual nature the course defines a strict dialogue between literatures, arts and cultures. For this reason, beside literary texts, to which a specific workshop (reading and commenting) will be dedicated, other multimedia and internet contents -provided through Virtuale platform- will be introduced, in order to build an organic and clear framework of the topic. Different materials and texts used during the lessons are made available to students through the collaborative platform set up specifically for the class.

Links to further information

https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/roberto.vecchi

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Vecchi