After taking the Modern Brazil class, I first learned that various minority groups played an integral role in constructing Brazil. For almost every single topic we discussed in class, three key words—race, class, and gender—frequently appeared as prominent issues in contextualizing Brazilian history. This historical aspect turns out to be the case for other countries histories as well. However, for Brazil especially, the issues of race, class, and gender are essential components in addressing and defining Brazilian identities. From my understanding, the idea of transculturation and traces of colonization intensified and amplified the issue of race, class, and gender in Brazil. Moreover, looking over how Brazil’s transformation process was based on race, class, and gender, it was interesting to see how Brazilians have formed their identities through the shaping of these issues. I believe, however, that Brazil still struggles from negotiating and settling these issues, but this class reminded its students that Brazil is on the progress of becoming a powerful nation-state in the near future.

Secondly, I learned that Brazil is a well-established nation-state with an abundance of resources, deep historical roots, and a rich, diverse culture. Before taking this class, I knew that Brazil carried insurmountable economic power and resources. It wasn’t surprising to discover Brazil’s status as a world economic power from our first reading assignment. However, I did not know about the rich history and culture behind this success and that minorities played an important role in the development of Brazil. Moreover, it was interesting to explore the intricate dynamics of Brazilian politics as well as the history. In relation to social construction, the country suffers from a large gap between the rich and poor, socioeconomic hierarchies, and racial discrimination. From the dictatorship to the recent presidential election, the political culture reflects how Brazil continues to show political oppositions between the Right and Left-Wing associations. Overall, I learned that Brazil contains the historical, political, and social aspects of a modern nation state.

Lastly, for popular representation, there were various components to consider in fully understanding the story behind this concept. It was interesting to observe how Brazilian cultures such as Capoeira, Samba, and Soccer have evolved alongside with these categories (race, class, and gender). Before taking the class, I often saw Brazilian figures in video games (Overwatch and Tekken) portrayed as male with dark skin tones, dreadlocks, and distinct features such as musical instruments (Lucio from Overwatch) and fighting techniques (Eddie Gordo from Tekken). However, after taking the class and partaking in the readings, discussions, and presentations, these Brazilian figures are historically significant because they, who although are presumed to be identified as Afro-Brazilians, are representing Brazil despite the persistent racial hierarchy across Brazilian societies. Moreover, these figures as portrayed by the United States and Japan, suggested how other countries perceive Brazil. In contrast, Brazil still primarily favors white Brazilians to represent the country.