Course Code

Course Title & Course Intructor

LACA 1504P

The Amazon, Climate Change and Conservation <<Click here to watch course trailer>>

Deborah Delgado Pugley

This course delves into pivotal environmental discussions reshaping our perception of the Amazon's past and future. Through firsthand accounts from key figures such as Amazonian indigenous peoples, scientist, philanthropists, and government officials, we will gain insights into the profound transformations occurring in these landscapes and their associated politics. Designed as an interdisciplinary exploration, the course begins by examining the role of Indigenous Peoples in the environmental history of the Amazon. We will explore the archaeological findings that are reshaping our understanding of this biome and the cultures that thrived there. Moving through the colonial histories of the Amazon to its republican present, we explore evolving political dynamics, regional perspectives, and distinctive viewpoints emerging from this culturally rich region. We analyze these aspects from anthropological and sociological standpoints, providing students with a comprehensive understanding that goes beyond a single national tradition..

LACA 1601Y

Indigenous Arts and Activism in Brazil <<Click here to watch course trailer>>

Jamille Pinheiro Dias and Leila Lehnen
This course will examine current forms of intersection between Indigenous arts and political activism, focusing on Brazil. Which possible futures do Indigenous arts envision? Topics include Indigenous creative interventions in the colonial archive, approaches to repatriation and Indigenous curatorial practice, critical perspectives on cultural appropriation and the importance of centering Indigenous voices, public space interventions by Indigenous artists, and the overlap between Indigenous arts and anti-racism as well as Indigenous arts and environmental activism. We will give special focus to the work of Indigenous artists, authors, and filmmakers engaged in activism and advocacy for Indigenous rights. The course will feature Indigenous artists, writers, activists, and scholars as guest speakers, offering firsthand perspectives. Utilizing campus resources the seminar will serve as a unique platform for an in-depth examination of present-day Indigenous arts within the Brazilian context. Conducted in English.