The Portuguese Language Program held its inaugural symposium on Brazil, entitled Brazil in Focus, on Monday and Tuesday, November 9-10, 2015. Co-sponsored by the Program for Latin American Studies, the Department of German and Romance Languages and Literatures, the Department of History, the Study Abroad Office, the International Studies Program, and the Brazilian Embassy in Washington, D.C., this event gave scholars and students an opportunity to learn about and discuss current topics in Brazil as it increases in international political importance.

Attendees heard lectures on democracy, music, culture, and ethnicity in Brazil, as well as participating in a round-table discussion on the political and economic challenges currently facing Brazil and a workshop on Brazilian music throughout history; and undergraduate research poster sessions in both Portuguese and English during lunch breaks on both days of the symposium gave further insight into other facets of the country’s cultural and political life.

The research projects covered very diverse topics: recent corporate corruption, the history of immigration to Brazil, the country’s favelas, Carnival, the World Cup and Olympic Games, a growing tourism industry, and racism and police brutality, among others. Despite the variety of subjects, undergraduate presenters Alvaro and Maria Reategui explained that all the projects were linked to – and helped to explain – the country’s current and historical political situation. Attendees enjoyed traditional Brazilian foods, feijoada and rice with collard greens, while circulating to discover the nuances of Brazil’s present state and how it impacts national and global politics today.

A slideshow of photos from the event can be seen on YouTube.