Introduction to the Lusophone World

Module title	Introduction to the Lusophone World
Module code	MLP1002
Academic year	2019/0
Credits	15
Module staff	Professor Susana Afonso Pinto Cavadas Afonso (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11

Module description

The Lusophone, or the Portuguese-speaking, world comprises nine countries in three continents where one of the most interesting aspects is not only the enormous diversity but also continuity. This module will take you on an exciting journey where you will have the unique opportunity to examine the multiple layers of meaning that have endowed a selection of cultural icons from Angola, Brazil, Mozambique and Portugal. Diversity also characterises the linguistic make-up of the Lusophone world. You will be guided through the Portuguese linguistic situation, examining, among other things, the relationship between Portuguese and the other languages of the Lusophone world.

Module aims - intentions of the module

In this module you will be invited to study and compare cultural and linguistic aspects of the Portuguese-speaking world. The module will examine the multiple layers of meaning that have endowed a selection of distinct and durable cultural icons from the Portuguese-speaking world across the fields of dance, food, literature, music, politics, sport, and theatre. We will analyse the social and cultural significance of icons within the parameters of imperialism, migration and war and explore the “life story” of icons beyond their national spheres, by viewing the Indic and Atlantic oceans as pools of cultural transference and transformation.

This module will also introduce you to the linguistic make-up of the Lusophone world, taking into consideration, on the one hand, the evolution of the Portuguese language within the context of the other Ibero-Romance languages and, on the other, the situation of Portuguese in other territories which have Portuguese as an official language. Concepts such as official language, language planning and standardisation, dialect and language, diglossia, as well as a gentle introduction to pidgins and creoles will be introduced and discussed in the context of the Portuguese-speaking world.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Define cultural icon and distinguish it from myth and stereotype
2. Discuss key aspects of the relationship between culturally iconic forms and the communities that participate in their formation
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the history of the Portuguese language
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the diverse linguistic situations in the Portuguese-speaking world
5. Discuss critically the representation of the Portuguese linguistic situation in cultural manifestations such as literature and cinema

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

6. Demonstrate the competence to analyse cultural texts in historical and geographical context, through the use of related critical writings
7. After initial input from the course tutor, apply the linguistic concepts to the material under analysis independently
8. Demonstrate an understanding of, and an ability to apply, theoretical concepts

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

9. Work effectively with other students in groups and sustain arguments coherently
10. Present information and arguments on a defined topic
11. Think critically and independently

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

Definitions of cultural iconicity
Case studies of cultural icons from the fields of sport, music, literature and food
History, literature and cinema of Lusophone countries
History of the Portuguese language: from dialect to language in the Iberian context
Linguistic situation in Africa: the relationship between Portuguese and the local languages, including creoles
Language planning
Diglossia and bilingualism

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
16	134	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	10	Lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	5	Semiars
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	1	Conclusion
Guided Independent Study	134	Private study

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay	500 words	1-11	Individual written feedback

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
0	100	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Examination	100	1 hour and 30 minutes	1-11	Generic group feedback posted on ELE. Students will get the exam scripts back with individual feedback

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Examination	Examination	1-11	Ref/def period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Anderson, B. 1991. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso.
Azevedo, M. 2004. Portuguese: A Linguistic Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Earle, T. F., Stephen Parkinson and Pazos Alonso (eds). 2013. A Companion to Portuguese Literature. Woodbridge: Tamesis.
Fanon, F. 1986. Black Skin, White Masks. London. Pluto.
Fasold, R. 1987. The Sociolinguistics of Society. Oxford: Blackwell
Fausto, B. 1999. A Concise History of Brazil. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Holmes, J. 2000. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. London: Longman
Maiden, M., Smith, C. and Ledgeway, A. (eds.). 2013.The Cambridge History of the Romance Languages. Volume 2: Contexts. Cambridge: CUP
McClintock, Anne. 1994. Imperial Leather: Race, Gender and Sexuality in the Colonial Context. London: Routledge.
Mitchell, W.J. T. 1987. Iconology: Image, Text and Ideology. Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Mufwene, S. (ed.). 2014. Iberian imperialism and language evolution in Latin America. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Newitt, M. 1995. A History of Mozambique. London: C. Hurst & Co.
Owen, Hilary. 2007. Mother Africa, Father Marx: Women’s Writing of Mozambique 1948 – 2002. Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE: https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/search.php?search=MLP1002

Key words search

Portuguese linguistics, lusophone studies, cultural studies, literary studies, cultural iconicity, postcolonial theory, gender theory, race studies, exoticism

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	4
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	01/05/2014
Last revision date	23/01/2018