History of Brazil: History 356-001
Fall 2011; 9:30-10:45, T/Th; 107 HGB
Link to Online Syllabus:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26494062/Brazil%20356/114
%20Syllabus%20356.pdf
Shawn Wm Miller
Office hours, Mon & Thur, 3-4pm, 2113 JFSB
Phone: 422-3425; email: [email protected]
http://history.byu.edu/Pages/Faculty/Miller.aspx
“Perder tempo em aprender coisas que não interessam, priva-nos de descobrir coisas interessantes.”
[“Wasting time learning things that do not interest us deprives us of discovering interesting things.”]
Carlos Drummond de Andrade
Introduction
This course proposes to be a comprehensive history of Brazil, the world's fifth largest nation in both
physical size and human population. The course will emphasize various aspects of Brazil’s social, economic,
cultural and environmental history, investigating the significant historical realities of slavery, race, militarism,
nature, elitism, music, populism, urbanization, and others.
The history of Brazil is unique. Discovered accidentally in 1500, it was colonized only reluctantly by the
Portuguese who had far better colonial prospects in Asia. However, by independence in 1822, Brazil had become
the crown jewel, both more populous and more productive than Portugal, in a sense the tail that wagged the dog.
Brazil is the only colony to house the throne of a European king and the only American state to establish a national
monarchy, one that ruled for much of the 19th century. Brazil imported far more African slaves than any other
American colony or nation, many of them after independence, and it was the last place in the America’s to
emancipate them. Its culture, which has been shaped and refashioned by Indian, Portuguese, African, German,
Italian, Japanese and many other influences, is among the worlds most exuberant and creative.
Everyone has recognized Brazil's potential, and it has been repeatedly called the "Land of the Future," but
self-deprecating Brazilians have quipped that it always will be. Brazil still struggles with its past, but in many ways
the future is already here. Brazil has the world’s eighth largest economy, larger than Russia, India, and Canada, and,
in addition to the stereotypical tropical exports of developing nations, like coffee or minerals, it is also among the
world’s major producers of soy beans, commercial jet aircraft, automobiles, and television entertainment. In recent
years, economic growth has been astonishing, and the benefits do seem to be trickling down, although still often
short of the very poorest. Currently Sao Paulo, the second largest city in the Americas, is also the most expensive
place to live in the Americas. However, amidst great abundance there is poverty; income inequality—few rich and
many poor—is still among the world’s worst. Brazil produces like Germany but has poverty like India. A goodnatured people experience socioeconomic inequality, social violence, environmental degradation, and corruption, all
of which are legacies of Brazil’s 500-year history. Brazil seems to struggle as much with its past as it does for its
future. By course end we hope you will have become something of an expert on Brazil, a Brazilianist, one who
appreciates her unique historical and cultural contributions as well as cheers for her happiness and success.
Learning Outcome
Students will become academically conversant in
the major social, economic, and cultural
developments of Brazil’s history since 1500.
Students will be able to analyze and evaluate the
content and meaning of primary sources, and
through critical interpretation, draw reasonable
conclusions.
Students will be able to formulate original
historical questions and answer them by systematic
research in primary and secondary sources.
Students will be able to write history that is
coherent and persuasive by following discipline’s
norms for writing and careful documentation.
Evaluation (Assessment)
Students will complete exams measuring both their
mastery of the material covered in lectures, discussions,
and readings and their ability to use that knowledge to
make their own arguments.
Students will analyze two book-length primary sources
and submit papers addressing each book’s content,
reliability, and utility for historians.
These skills will be demonstrated in an original research
paper that will add to our knowledge of Brazil’s history.
Mastery of these aptitudes will assessed in the
evaluation of the research paper’s prose, format, and
historical insight.
Readings
Metcalf, Alida. Go-betweens and the Colonization of Brazil. University of Texas, 2005. ISBN: 0-292-71276-6
Staden, Hans. Hans Staden’s True History: An Account of Cannibal Activity in Brazil. Duke: 2008. ISBN: 978-08223-4231-1
Maxwell, Kenneth. Conflicts and Conspiracies: Brazil and Portugal, 1750-1808. Routledge, 2004. ISBN: 0-41594989-0
MacLachlan, Colin. A History of Modern Brazil: Past against the Future. SR Books, 2003. ISBN: 0-8420-5123-6.
Azevedo, Aluisio. The Slum (available free online in English and Portuguese; see links in schedule below.)
Perlman, Janice. Favela: Four Decades of Living on Edge in Rio de Janeiro. Oxford: 2010. ISBN: 978-0195368369
Requirements
Complete reading assignments, which are due the day listed in the syllabus, as the term progresses. I hold
out the option of the pop quiz, for which there are no make-ups. Class discussion, of course, requires your
participation.
Book Responses: Two book responses, each consisting of 750 words, are due the beginning of class on the days
we discuss the book by Hans Staden and the novel by Aluisio de Azevedo. You should come up with one or two
questions of your own to address in each paper, that is, you come up with your own question and the paper consists
of giving us your most persuasive answer. On the day we discuss a book, your job is to present your question(s) for
class discussion. Or, be prepared to be asked to share your question if you don’t volunteer it. The point is that you
come to class with something to say, and that you can take the discussion in a direction that interests you.
Staden Book Response: You are free to address and respond to any issue or ideas you find interesting in Hans
Staden’s account, but I want you to consider a few questions in your mind as you read it as well. What is Staden’s
attitude toward indigenous people? Is he racist? Does he see them as inferior? What is the nature of relations
between various European nationals in Brazil? Why do you think the Tupinambá didn’t kill and eat him?
Azevedo Book Response: Consider these questions, in addition to your own. What was the elite’s attitude
(including Azevedo’s) toward poor blacks and immigrants, and their living conditions, and what about the poor was
threatening? What did the slum dwellers think of themselves, and what were their attitudes toward the slum as a
home? To what cause does Azevedo attribute Jerônimo and Piedade’s fall from respectability to ruin?
Research Paper: The Research Paper is the course’s most significant assignment, worth more than the midterm or
final. It has three components. First, a one-page, single-spaced proposal will be due early in the semester (see
course schedule for due date). You should present a well-defined, narrowly focused question that the paper will
answer. It will be difficult to write a passable paper if you attempt a topic that is too broad. Narrow it. As examples
of narrow topic questions: “What attitudes did Jesuit priests have toward Brazilian nature in the 16th century? What
explains the success of Pentecostal churches in Brazil’s cities in the 1970s? What role did major hydroelectric
projects of the 1930s play in making Sao Paulo Brazil’s industrial hub?” Your topic can be anything on Brazil’s
history but avoid topics later than 1990 as you will find few materials to work with. In the proposal, list the books,
articles, and sources from which you intend to get the answer. I expect that history majors will use primary sources
in their research, and I encourage others to do so as well. Feel free to talk to me about proposal topics, the earlier
the better, and I will, of course, make comments and suggestions on the proposals. Some will probably not be
approved without changes. Follow this link to see an Example of a Proposal.
Second, you will write an Historiographical Review that will be due a couple weeks after the proposal
(again see course schedule for due date.) This will consist of a short report on the arguments and information
relevant to your topic in 5 books and/or articles. This should amount to 2-3 paragraphs on each work. Your purpose
is to begin to see what other scholars have already said about your topic. What does the work say to answer your
proposed question? What new research question might it inspire, or does it refine your current question? How will
it, or will it not, contribute to your paper? List a few books or articles that these 5 works point you to for further
information? Follow this link for a sample Historiographical Review.
And third, the Research Paper itself which must be footnoted and have an attached bibliography. Format
the paper as follows: 8-10 pages (more or less will be penalized), 11 point, Courier font, with 1" margins all
around. The authors of papers I think most interesting to fellow classmates will be given time to present their
research in class. Some test questions on the final will be taken from these presentations. You will notice that
course readings decrease as we near the paper’s due date as I am giving you more time to work on your papers. I
have high expectations. Your main objective is to answer fully the question you posed in your proposal. Assume
your reader, that’s me, wants to know the answer, and expects to be fully satisfied on the more significant aspects of
the subject. Be organized, concise, coherent, and interesting for the best results. See this link for an abbreviated
Guide to Footnoting in History.
Finding Tools: Here are the best finding tools for historical research on Latin America.
WorldCat: a massive catalog of most major university collections. Can link directly to Interlibrary Loan,
which is a great way to get materials BYU does not have. Has many primary materials in some periods.
Historical Abstracts: indexes articles on non-US history, and includes book reviews, which are helpful.
The Handbook of Latin American Studies (HLAS): A comprehensive index of books and articles
published on Latin America with short abstracts on their content. Use subject links to find related materials.
Hispanic American Periodicals Index (HAPI): An index of journal articles, many with direct links.
All these indexes can be accessed through the Harold B. Lee library site. See the “Database” box in lower left
corner of the Harold B. Library homepage, and click on the first letter of the index’s name.
Primary Sources: The following link is a bibliography of some published primary sources: Some Primary Sources
for Brazil. However, there are many more things available in the library, other libraries and online. And remember
than nearly anything can be used as a primary source if approached with the right historical questions.
Plagiarism and Self-plagiarism: All your work must be your own. “Borrowing” a friend’s paper, lifting texts from
digital sources, using paper mills, and reproducing the ideas or phrasings of other authors without credit, are all
egregious forms of plagiarism. Nor can you self-plagiarize. As there isn’t much nutrition in regurgitation, all course
work must be created solely for this course. You cannot turn in a paper to this class that you’ve written for a former
or current instructor, nor can you turn in assignments written for this course to a another course, whether concurrent
or future. Infractions result in course failure and report to the Honor Code Office.
No-Excuse, Late-Paper Policy: Assignments are late if not turned in at the beginning of class on day they are due.
Late papers will be accepted up to one week thereafter, with a small penalty of 5%. No excuse can remove that
penalty, so don’t offer one.
Technology in Class: I expect that phones, smart phones, iPods, and other such distractions will not appear during
class time. If you use a laptop, net-book, or tablet device, use it only for note-taking. I want a positive learning
environment for all students. While the distractions of Facebook, Youtube, Gmail, and Angry Birds may amuse and
divert you, they are only distractions to those who sit by and behind you. Studies have shown two things: students
retain more knowledge and comprehend it more deeply when taking notes by hand than by keyboard, and students
who multitask between note-taking and one or more electronic distractions, show significantly decreased learning.
See http://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/august24/multitask-research-study-082409.html
Grading breakdown: Book Responses 20% (10% each); Midterm, 20%; Paper 40%; Final 20%.
PREVENTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal
funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education and pertains to admissions, academic and athletic programs, and university-sponsored
activities. Title IX also prohibits sexual harassment of students by university employees, other students, and visitors to campus. If you encounter sexual
harassment or gender-based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 801-422-5895 or 1-888-238-1062 (24hours), or http://www.ethicspoint.com; or contact the Honor Code Office at 801-422-2847.
COURSE SCHEDULE
AUGUST
OCTOBER
Tu
30
Tu
04
Black Emancipation to White Immigration
● MacClachlan, 39-43, 65-67
● Levine, “Views on Race and Immigration in
Old Republic,” [link]
Th
06
Canudos and Cangaceiros
● MacClachlan, 43-56
● Begin Azevedo’s Slum: English (link);
Portuguese (link)
Tu
11
Midterm in class
Brazil: A Brief Introduction
● Begin Staden, pp. xxii-xxxi; and 17-145;
the paper on it is due next Tuesday
SEPTEMBER
Th
01
Discovery and First Encounters
● Metcalf, Ch. 1 and Ch. 2
Tu
06
The Tupi and Europe’s Exiles
● Staden, pp. xxii-xxxi and 17-145
● Staden Book Response Due
You must address and respond to any issue
or ideas you find interesting in Hans Staden’s
account, starting with your own question, but I
want you to consider a few questions as you
read it as well. What is Staden’s attitude toward
indigenous people? Is he racist? Does he see
them as inferior? What is the nature of relations
between various European nationals in Brazil?
Why do you think the Tupinambá didn’t kill
and eat him?
Th
08
Jesuits Missions and a Dying People
● Metcalf, Ch. 4 and 5
Tu
13
Slavery: Justifications, Origins and Trades
● Metcalf, Ch. 6
Th
15
Sugar Plantations and Gold Mines
● Schwartz, “The Slave’s View of Slavery”
(link)
● Begin Maxwell, Conflicts and Conspiracies
xvii-xx and pp. 61-203.
Tu
20
Independence and its Precedents
● Maxwell, xvii-xx, 61-203
Th
22
Slave Life: Urban Realities and Resistance
● No readings; please work on your proposal
Tu
27
Paper Proposals due
Be prepared to present your proposal to the
class, 5 minutes.
Th
29
Pedro II and the Politics of Empire
● MacClachlan, Ch. 1
Chronology and Geography [link]: Be able to
place the events listed in this
document under their historical
period, and to locate the geographic
terms on a map.
Th
13
Coffee, Rubber, and Urban Hygiene
● MacClachlan, 56-65, 68-74
Historiographical Review due
Tu
18
Brazilian Music
● MacClachlan, Ch. 3
●Santos Dumont vs. the Wright Brothers (link)
Th
20
Discussion of Azevedo’s, The Slum
Book Response Due
Consider these questions in The Slum, in
addition to your own. What was the elite’s
attitude (including Azevedo’s) toward poor
blacks and immigrants, and their living
conditions, and what about the poor was
threatening? What did the slum dwellers think
of themselves, and what were their attitudes
toward the slum as a home? To what cause does
Azevedo attribute Jerônimo and Piedade’s fall
from respectability to ruin?
Tu
25
The Vargas Era
● MacClachlan, Ch. 4
● Start Perlman, Favela, Chs. 1,2,3,4,7,& 12
Th
27
Film in Class
“Waste Land.” A documentary film about artist
Vik Muniz portraying catadores, landfill
garbage pickers, with the very trash they collect
and recycle. The film is also a touching portrait
of Brazil’s poorest, who are often smart, tough,
wise, honest, and caring.
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Tu
01
Urbanization and Brasilia
● João do Rio, “The Waking Homeless” (link)
● MacClachlan, 205-08
Th
01
Student Paper Presentations
Housing a City: Favelas
● Perlman, Favela, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12.
Tu
06
Student Paper Presentations
Th
03
Tu
0
The Myth of Racial Democracy
● MacClachlan, 168-85
Th
08
Abertura and After
● MacClachlan,185-97, 202-05, 208-226, and
ch. 8
Th
10
The Military and its “Miracle”
● MacClachlan, Ch. 5
Tu
15
Indigenous Peoples
● Langfur, Hal. “Myths of Pacification: . . .
Subjugation of the Bororo ” (link)
Tu
13
Th
17
Catholicism, Spiritism and Pentecostalism
● MacClachlan, 199-202
● Chesnut, [Spirits and Healing as Religious
Products] (link)
Final Exam, Tuesday, December 13
7am-10am. WARNING: If you will be off to
Christmas vacation before this, you cannot take
this class. I can’t offer the exam early to
anyone.
Papers Due
Thanksgiving Holiday (Tuesday the 22th is a
“Friday”)
Tu
29
Environment: Determinism vs Determination
● Miller, “Stilt-root Subsistence: Mangroves
and Peasants,” (link)