African Literature in Portuguese

This course aims to provide students with a general understanding of historical, political and literary evolution of luphone african cultures. An introduction to formation («formação») of african national literatures in portuguese is offered, with a specific attention to complex colonial and political history. An introduction will be given to the historical study of Africa and to the theoretical problems related with the analysis of postcolonial literatures in portuguese.

Knowledge and understanding: outline of african history and of portuguese colonialism in Africa; formation of african colonies, development of national literatures , main authors and literary movements from Colonial Literature to the postcolonial contemporary era with a specific attention to Angola, Cap-Vert and Mozambique; fundamental elements of history of ideas and conceptual history that help analyze the societies and cultures of these countries. Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to read and contextualize some paradigmatic works of african thought and postcolonial literatures in portuguese; understanding of historic, cultural, and social implications of literary texts; ability to place authors, movements and works in their context; ability to analyze literary texts through the application of ideas and concepts borrowed from literary criticism, post-colonial theory, cultural studies and historiography.