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PORT10110

Academic Year 2026/2027

Postcolonial Portuguese World (PORT10110)

Subject:
Portuguese
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Languages, Cultures & Linguis
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Ana Vera
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the history, cultures and societies of the Portuguese-speaking world, commonly referred to as the Lusophone world. Through a post-colonial framework, this module examines how centuries of Portuguese expansion, colonisation, and cultural exchange have shaped diverse regions across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
From the urban beats of Lisbon to the vibrant rhythms of Brazil, from the volcanic landscapes of Cape Verde to the post-independence narratives of Mozambique and Angola, this module will provide an understanding of the complexities and nuances of the Portuguese-speaking world.
Throughout the module, students will engage critically with primary and secondary sources, including historical documents, cultural artefacts, music, visual arts, film, and scholarly articles, to examine how legacies of colonisation, slavery, and independence movements continue to inform contemporary realities. Emphasis will be placed on key theoretical concepts such as colonialism, postcolonialism, hybridity, Lusotropicalism, and nationalism, enabling students to analyse cultural production in its historical and political contexts.
By the end of the module, students will gain insights into the diversity and dynamism of Lusophone cultures and societies, as well as the ongoing challenges and opportunities they face in the contemporary global landscape.

Note: This module is designed for non-specialists, so prior knowledge of the Portuguese language or familiarity with the Portuguese-speaking world is not required, making the course accessible to students from all disciplines with an interest in history, culture, and global studies.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

1. Identify and explain the historical interconnectedness between the Portuguese-speaking world, recognising common legacies and distinctive trajectories.
2. Analyse major historical, political and cultural moments in the Portuguese-speaking world, from maritime expansion to postcolonial realities.
3. Develop an informed understanding of key critical concepts (e.g. Colonialism, post-colonialism, hybridity, Lusotropicalism, Nationalism)
4. Examine a variety of cultural objects of the Portuguese-speaking world, including music, art, and film within their specific historical and social contexts.
5. Develop and communicate coherent arguments, both orally and in writing, that draw on primary and secondary sources
6. Reflect critically on the legacies of empire and their impact on contemporary debates around identity, memory, race, and cultural belonging in Portuguese-speaking societies.

Indicative Module Content:

Whilst the module's content may vary, it is envisaged that the course will include some of the following topics:
1. Portuguese expansion and the making of the colonial order
2. The Portuguese Atlantic: Slavery and Resistance
3. Lusotropicalism and Colonialism in Africa
4. Revolution, Decolonisation and Postcolonial Identities
5. Language and Linguistic diversity in the postcolony: Creole languages and their significance.
7. Diaspora: memory and migration
8. Arts, Music and Resistance
9. Race, gender and Representation

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Advanced Beginner

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Novice

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Novice

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Novice

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Novice

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Novice

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Novice

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Novice

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Novice

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Tutorial

12
Specified Learning Activities

36
Autonomous Student Learning

50
Total

110

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module incorporates various teaching and learning approaches, including lectures, class discussions, problem-based learning, debates, readings, and presentations. Active participation in classes is recommended, and students are expected to fully engage with the module material and in-class learning activities.

Note on IA: AI may be used to help with the refinement of expression and style, but AI must be used critically, with an awareness of its limitations. You must add a note documenting and explaining your use of AI, mentioning the AI tool you used and the prompts you put in. The content and argument of the written assessment must be authored by you, and you must not allow the AI tool to alter the sense of any text, offer a critique of or modify any arguments.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Individual Project: Poster & Critical reflection: Design an original academic poster related to one of the module's topics and material, with a critical reflection (500 words) explaining the rationale behind the work. Week 14 Graded No
40
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Mid-term written essay: 750-word critical essay related to one of the topics studied. Week 7 Graded No
40
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Mix of formative tasks throughout the trimester, including: Oral presentation of the Poster proposal (weeks 11 & 12); contributions to in-class discussions, tasks and learning activities. Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
20
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Students are not required to purchase any materials for this module. All readings and specified learning materials will be made available on Brightspace.

Name Role
Dr Pascale Baker Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 11:00 - 11:50
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