History 217 Modern Brazil

Professor Katie Holt

Tuesdays & Thursdays 1:00-2:20

Kauke 136

Course Description

This course examines the history of modern Brazil, focusing on the negotiation of race, gender, and class in a heterogeneous society. Our readings and discussion will focus on cultural production including novels, films, soap operas, music, and food as a window to Brazilian identity. Themes include Brazilian slavery and the transition to free labor; immigration and the construction of national identity; populism and the cooptation of the Brazilian working classes; state projects for modernization and the construction of Brasilia; the persistence of racial prejudices in a racial democracy; authoritarianism, tropicalísmo, and the return to civilian rule; and economic growth and development in a highly stratified society.

Student Learning Goals: