Portuguese and Brazilian Studies (MA)
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims at proposing an approach to the study of the literary memory of the dictatorship of Estado Novo in Portugal (1933-1974) and the Regime Militar in Brazil (1964-1985). An introduction to the historical and socio-political processes of the two dictatorships is proposed, also from a comparative point of view. The critical and narratological analysis of three classic Portuguese novels and three classic Brazilian novels will be accompanied by a deepening on the theories of the representation of memory and of memory studies.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: to acquire the essential political and historiographical concepts to recognize dictatorial processes in Brazil and Portugal, understanding of elements of narratology to read critically novels, to learn about the main theories of memory studies. Applying knowledge and understanding: to grasp the historical and cultural implications of the evolution of literary representations of social memory of two Dictatorships. To know the political and socio-economical and literary lexicon applied to the two Dictatorships.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The course is titled: The time of history and literary memories: fifty years after the Carnation Revolution in Portugal (1974) and sixty years after the beginning of the military regime in Brazil (1964).
The course will be divided into two parts:
Part A (40 hours): Literary Memories and Cultural Imaginary of a Revolution: For a Cartography of the Portuguese Revolution
Part B (20 hours): The longest regime, the shortest memory: paths of memory and oblivion of the Brazilian military dictatorship
Section A will study the Portuguese Carnation Revolution and its historical, cultural and geopolitical consequences, such as African decolonisations in the context of the Cold War of the 1970s. In particular, we will study how 25 April has been the subject of literary memory (by testimonial literature and others) and of the cultural reconfiguration tout court of a country emerging from almost fifty years of colonial-fascist dictatorship to rediscover its European times.
Section B will concentrate on the Brazilian dictatorial experience in order to focus on its historical events and on the dynamics of oblivion and silencing that characterised the public policies relating to its violence. Through literary, cinematographic and artistic examples, we will then investigate those operations to redeem the memory of the dictatorship that, especially from the 2000s onwards, have contributed to reading the exceptional dimension of that historical page.
The course provides 9 credits. It is not possible to acquire only 6.
The course program is valid until September 2026.
The course will be divided into two parts:
Part A (40 hours): Literary Memories and Cultural Imaginary of a Revolution: For a Cartography of the Portuguese Revolution
Part B (20 hours): The longest regime, the shortest memory: paths of memory and oblivion of the Brazilian military dictatorship
Section A will study the Portuguese Carnation Revolution and its historical, cultural and geopolitical consequences, such as African decolonisations in the context of the Cold War of the 1970s. In particular, we will study how 25 April has been the subject of literary memory (by testimonial literature and others) and of the cultural reconfiguration tout court of a country emerging from almost fifty years of colonial-fascist dictatorship to rediscover its European times.
Section B will concentrate on the Brazilian dictatorial experience in order to focus on its historical events and on the dynamics of oblivion and silencing that characterised the public policies relating to its violence. Through literary, cinematographic and artistic examples, we will then investigate those operations to redeem the memory of the dictatorship that, especially from the 2000s onwards, have contributed to reading the exceptional dimension of that historical page.
The course provides 9 credits. It is not possible to acquire only 6.
The course program is valid until September 2026.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is planned for first and second year students of the master's degree. The lessons will be taught in Portuguese.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: lectures and moments of discussion in which students provide a critical reworking of the proposed literary and critical texts.
Teaching Resources
he course has a Teams channel which can be accessed with the following code: 7o8fzpp. Please refer to the Teams channel for complete syllabuses for lecture notes and other materials provided by the lecturers. For each section, specific critical essays on individual works or authors, or on general issues, will be made available on the channel. Below are the compulsory reading materials for the various sections.
Bibliography and filmography:
Unit A
1) Fernando Rosas, Ensaios de Abril, Tinta-da-China, Lisboa, 2023
2) Enzo Traverso, Rivoluzione. Un'altra storia 1789-1989, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2021
3) Eduardo Lourenço, «Literatura e Revolução» in O Canto do Signo. Existência e Literatura, Presença, Lisboa, 1994, pp. 292-301.
4) Ana Paula Ferreira, «Reiventando a História: ficções de mulheres e a Revolução de Abril» in Letras de Hoje, Porto Alegre, Vol. 31, n݇ 1, pp. 87-107, março 1996.
5) Uliano Lucas, Revoluções. Guiné-Bissau, Angola, Portugal, Edições do Saguão, Lisboa, 2023.
Letture:
Eduarda Dionísio, Retrato dum amigo enquanto falo, Armazém das Letras, Lisboa, 1979.
Filmografia:
Sérgio Trefaut, Outro País, Portugal, 1999.
Unit B
1) Eurídice Figueiredo, A literatura como arquivo da ditadura brasileira, Rio de Janeiro: 7Letras, 2017.
2) Edson Teles; Vladimir Pinheiro Safatle, O que resta da ditadura: a exceção brasileira, Boitempo Editorial, 2015.
Letture:
Bernardo Kucinski, K. Relato de uma busca, São Paulo, Expressão Popular, 2011.
Filmografia:
Tata Amaral, Hoje, Brasile, 2011.
Bibliography and filmography:
Unit A
1) Fernando Rosas, Ensaios de Abril, Tinta-da-China, Lisboa, 2023
2) Enzo Traverso, Rivoluzione. Un'altra storia 1789-1989, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2021
3) Eduardo Lourenço, «Literatura e Revolução» in O Canto do Signo. Existência e Literatura, Presença, Lisboa, 1994, pp. 292-301.
4) Ana Paula Ferreira, «Reiventando a História: ficções de mulheres e a Revolução de Abril» in Letras de Hoje, Porto Alegre, Vol. 31, n݇ 1, pp. 87-107, março 1996.
5) Uliano Lucas, Revoluções. Guiné-Bissau, Angola, Portugal, Edições do Saguão, Lisboa, 2023.
Letture:
Eduarda Dionísio, Retrato dum amigo enquanto falo, Armazém das Letras, Lisboa, 1979.
Filmografia:
Sérgio Trefaut, Outro País, Portugal, 1999.
Unit B
1) Eurídice Figueiredo, A literatura como arquivo da ditadura brasileira, Rio de Janeiro: 7Letras, 2017.
2) Edson Teles; Vladimir Pinheiro Safatle, O que resta da ditadura: a exceção brasileira, Boitempo Editorial, 2015.
Letture:
Bernardo Kucinski, K. Relato de uma busca, São Paulo, Expressão Popular, 2011.
Filmografia:
Tata Amaral, Hoje, Brasile, 2011.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral test. Attending students will be able to access several ongoing tests to get prepared for the final exam.
The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it.
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or with DSA must be established with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it.
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or with DSA must be established with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
L-LIN/08 - PORTUGUESE AND BRAZILIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Russo Vincenzo
Professor(s)