Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Note: Graduate students only

Portugal’s tumultuous twentieth century was a time of radical transformation. The nation shifted from monarchy to republic, endured nearly five decades of dictatorship, ended its colonial empire, and emerged as a modern democracy and European Union member. This course delves into the political, social, and cultural upheavals that shaped Portugal during this period, exploring themes of resistance, colonialism, and historical memory.

Through historical, literary, and visual analysis, we study the clandestine opposition to António Salazar’s authoritarian regime, the realities of censorship and secret police violence, and Portugal’s colonial rule in Africa. We learn about the independence movements in the colonies culminating with the Carnation Revolution and consider how the legacies of dictatorship and empire continue to shape Portugal’s contemporary cultural landscape. By engaging with literature, film, painting, architecture, and popular culture, we investigate how history is woven into national identity, and how Luso-tropicalist theories of Portuguese exceptionalism continue to influence concepts of race and culture in the Lusophone context.

HISP-P 511     #30366     2:20P-3:35P        TR       BH 233          Prof. Estela Vieira

Note: Above class meets with HISP-P 411 and HISP-P 498
Note: This course is combined with EURO-W 605 #32815