30167 - Portuguese and Brazilian Literature 2 (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

A very good knowledge of Portuguese is essential, since the lessons will be taught in this language. Furthermore, 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 and linguistic contexts. He knows, and is able to use, practical and effective methods for the analysis and interpretation of literary texts and other cultural objects.

Course contents

The course aims to analyze, on the occasion of the bicentenary of the independence of Brazil (1822-2022) the conceptual knots between foundation and formation that characterized the two centuries of Brazilian history. "Fundação and Refundações: Deformações and Formação. Dois Séculos do Brasil" is the title of the course taught in blended mode and in Portuguese. The foundations of the Foundation, marked by some distinctive exceptions, produced some mythologizing narratives on the false national cohesion. This fracture between representation and reality was assumed by the "modernist re-foundation", a century after the independence, that critically developed the concept of "formação". However, also in the Modernist radical review and new national narratives (for example, the centrality of the Sertão as a paradoxical historical and collective allegory), the gap between critique and the world widens further by making the concept of "formação" a sharp critical tool of Brazilian de-formations. Through a combination of interpretative essays and literary texts, in the setting up of an adequate tool in order to read the depth of the interpretative challenge, the course aims to reconstruct the "founding-formative" conceptual constellation that can interstitially reveal new Brazils. Or other alternative foundations, in short.

Readings/Bibliography

Essential references

Alencar, José, Iracema (ultima ed.)

Andrade Oswald de, Pau-Brasil, 5ªed. São Paulo, Globo, 1991

Bosi, Alfredo, Dialética da colonização, São Paulo, COmpahia das LEtras, 1992.

Cunha, Euclides da, Os sertões, (ultima ed)

Finazzi-Agrò, Ettore, Entretempos mapeando a história da cultura brasileira, São Paulo, Editora da UNESP, 2013.

Magalhães, Gonçalves de, A confederação dos Tamoios.

Ribeiro, Renato Janine, "Iracema ou a fundação do Brasil", in A sociedade contra o social, São Paulo, Comapmhia das Letras. 45-64.

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

 

Teaching methods

The course participates to UNIBO teaching innovation project.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 multemedia and internet contents -provided thriugh 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