Brazilian Biomes: An Environmental History of Brazil

Catalog description

With stunning and unparalleled ecological diversity, Brazil developed historically in concert with the contours of its natural environments. This seminar explores six regional biomes – from the Atlantic Forest to the Amazon, from the Pampa to the Pantanal–in tracing the social and cultural history of Brazil. Each two-week period focuses on a particular ecology, geography, and temporality, beginning with the early history of the Amazon, passing through Europe’s encounter with the Atlantic rainforest and migratory histories from the arid shrublands of the Caatinga, and ending with the exploitation of mining regions of the Cerrado. Each week we ask: how did the environment fundamentally shape the experience of Brazil’s diverse peoples – Indigenous, African, European, and mestizo – and how were Brazilian historical narratives and literary expressions shaped by these different regional experiences? Knowledge of Portuguese is recommended but not required.