This course analyzes the interaction between Lusophone cultural productions and the environment. The class begins by reflecting upon the environmental humanities, ecocriticism and its methods of research and upon topics like the Anthropocene and environmental justice. It examines how this framework is pertinent for the analysis of Portuguese-speaking literature, cinema and the arts and discusses the contributions of Lusophone culture to environmental humanities research. The seminar then turns to key topics in Lusophone Environmental Humanities, including water as a central element in Lusophone culture; the representation of key biomes, such as the Amazon River Basin; capitalism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, war and the environment; gender and race in Portuguese-speaking environmental thought; and extractivism and monocultures in Lusophone cultural productions.
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
January-May 2026
Taught by: Patrícia Vieira