Brazilian Slave Society

Code

MLAC3065

School

Modern Languages and Cultures

Level

3

Credits

20

Semesters

Full Year UK

Summary

This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the centrality of the history of slavery in the study of Brazilian society and of the significance of Brazilian Slavery in both the transatlantic slave systems and slave societies in the Americas. In the first semester the module introduces students to the different disciplinary and intellectual approaches to the study of slavery in Brazil. Through a combination of lecture and seminar work, students are encouraged to develop skills of analysis and interpretation through close reading of key texts. While the historiographical focus in on Brazil, the module attempts to accommodate students who have not studied Brazilian history or Portuguese. Mindful of the different skills sets and degree programmes of all students, the module draws on comparative contexts of slavery across the Americas both thematically and theoretically. Topics covered in the first part of the module include the ideology of slavery, economics of slavery, systems of slave labour, slave culture and community, slave identity, and slave resistance. Within these topics we examine themes of agency, race, class, ethnicity and gender. Over the course of the first semester students are expected to identify a topic for their second-semester research essay. The second semester is student lead, based on presentation work in a seminar setting. Students will be required to produce individual in-class presentations (work-in-progress) based on their book review. Throughout the module close attention will be paid to the problems of sources and perspectives in the study of the history of slavery. The module encourages students to develop an awareness of how different historical sources are used and to think critically about them. In class discussions and in written work the expectation is that students apply comparative analysis and demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of historiography.

Target Students

This module is aimed at students studying Portuguese to final year level but is also open to the following groups of students:those who have studiedPortuguese only at years 1 and 2those who are studying Spanish at the final year levelfinal year students who wish to take the module as a subsidiary subject.

Co-requisites

Modules you must take in the same academic year, or have taken in a previous year, to enrol in this module:

• Spanish 3 (MLAC3076)

Classes

• One 2-hour seminar each week for 21 weeks

Assessment

• 20% Coursework 1: 1x 1500 word book summary (due end of first semester).
• 80% Coursework 2: 1 x 3000 word research essay

Assessed in both autumn & spring semest

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge and understanding Students will (A2) acquire an in-depth awareness of the cultural, historical and political contexts appropriate to the Lusophone culture(s) addressed, (A3) develop an appreciation of the relationship between their own cultural, historical and social backgrounds and those of those aspects of the Lusophone worlds to which they are exposed; (A4) handle with assurance a range of critical and analytical stratagems and tools in their approach to these areas.

2. Intellectual skills Students are given the tools with which to (B1) engage in informed discussion of historical material, archive texts and/or other cultural/sociological documentation from Lusophone cultures; (B2) demonstrate a critical awareness of the historical and socio-political contexts of Lusophone cultures; (B4) deploy effectively a range of critical stratagems and approaches in their analytical work.

3. Professional/practical skills The training offered during the course of the Hispanic Studies elements of the degree allows students to (C3) undertake relevant research and construct a reasoned argument on a topic/issue in English either orally or in writing.

4. Transferable/key skills Students are provided with the training to be able to demonstrate (D3) the ability to construct and defend a coherent and well-researched argument in English; (D4) appropriate preparation skills in relation to written documents, oral presentation, illustrations and handouts and the delivery of oral presentations; (D5) sufficient cross-cultural understanding to be able to negotiate effectively between cultures, particularly Lusophone cultures and their own culture of origin; (D6) general research skills; (D7) time-management, prioritising and general organisational skills.

Conveners

• Dr Jane-Marie Collins