Exploring the Lusophone World: New Perspectives in Portuguese Language and Culture

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course aims to enhance linguistic abilities and cultural awareness of students of Portuguese by providing opportunities for structured discussion, analysis, and exploration of issues relevant to language use in academic, professional, and social settings. Through a variety of literacy-oriented exercises, including all modes of communication and related to different topics and genres, students continue to develop their proficiencies, cross-cultural knowledge, and general language ability. Students will explore, analyze, and discuss a variety of global topics as can be observed through the unique lenses of the cultures of Lusophone countries and communities. To develop both their linguistic and intercultural competence, linguistic skills will be honed through a variety of cultural products that allow the students to reflect on the practices and perspectives of the target society, as well as their own. These products will range from readings, multimedia content (videos and films), and Virtual Reality videos and images specifically created for this course. This course fosters the development of writing skills and oral proficiency in Portuguese. Students will review problematic grammatical structures, write several essays, and participate in multiple class debates on topics related to literature, politics, history, and popular culture. It builds linguistic proficiency to address issues of increasingly theoretical complexity and engage in critical thinking.