Based in São Paulo, this course examines the relationship between race and place in the formation of modern Brazil and the U.S. through comparative analysis and interdisciplinary study of literature, film, visual art, music, and performance.
We will visit key cultural and historical sites; interact with archives and museum collections; and, most importantly, engage in dialogue with local scholars, religious leaders, community organizers, and activists.
Issues explored in the course materials and on-site activities include the legacy of transatlantic slavery, indigenous dispossession, urban segregation, environmental racism, and reparations. Focusing on the work of Black and Indigenous people, particularly women, the course places a strong emphasis on the ways in which art and cultural activism can have an impact on racial justice issues. Taught in English. Need-based scholarships available.