Sumários

O carácter social da cultura. Continuação

9 Outubro 2024, 14:00 • Nuno Miguel Ribeiro de Medeiros

O carácter social da cultura: abordagens e propostas. Continuação.

A criança selvagem — 1

8 Outubro 2024, 15:30 • Amândio Reis

1. Do Homo ferus de Giorgio Agamben à experiência de "enculturação" (M.L.B. Pires).

1.1. Visionamento da primeira parte de L'enfant sauvage (A Criança Selvagem, 1970), de François Truffaut.

Class 7

8 Outubro 2024, 11:00 • Mário Vítor Bastos


The lecturer began by explaining that culture had historically been used to serve both sides of a conflict: for peace and for war. Arguments invoking culture could be made for the necessity of a healthy society, but culture could also be weaponized when a community or country’s way of life seemed endangered. This was evident in various conflicts, but the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was cited as a particularly visible example.

Many activists, the lecturer explained, made their affiliations clear through the symbols and attire they chose, such as the Palestinian keffiyeh, which acted as both a cultural and activist symbol. This symbol was not only representative of Palestinian identity but also of resistance against perceived injustice. The lecturer questioned whether Jewish communities worldwide uniformly viewed this conflict in the same light, suggesting that it might not be the case. While Israel was a state, not all Jewish people were invested in the conflict, making the situation complex.

Moving on, the lecturer discussed how war had become an industry, benefiting some economically. They cited the example of Russia, where the economy had been bolstered by war. This was surprising since the common perception was that war made countries poorer due to the costs involved in weapons, equipment, and the loss of life. However, industries related to war, like arms and munitions, employed people and fueled economic growth. This paradox led the lecturer to reconsider the economic impacts of conflict.

The lecturer then compared the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the war between Ukraine and Russia. Although both involved war, the cultural conflicts were different. Ukrainian and Russian cultures shared linguistic and religious similarities, but the political dynamics between the two were distinct. Russia, a large country, was attempting to dominate a weaker Ukraine, while in Israel and Palestine, the disparities between the two were much more pronounced. 

Continuing, the lecturer touched upon religious and cultural implications in Ukraine, where representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church were perceived as spies or traitors by the Ukrainian government. The church had been banned, and this too was an example of how war could intertwine with religion and culture.

The lecture then shifted to Africa, where the lecturer mentioned political instability in places like Mozambique and Sudan. In Mozambique, Muslim insurgencies had destabilized the northern part of the country, though the situation had improved somewhat. Cape Verde, on the other hand, was doing better, with tourism bringing growth, while Angola, despite tensions, remained peaceful.

When speaking of Brazil, the lecturer highlighted its role as the largest Portuguese-speaking country and its global influence, mentioning that over 200 million people spoke Portuguese there. The lecturer noted that Brazilian culture was vibrant and appealing, while Portugal’s culture had diminished in influence. Portugal’s cultural legacy was likened to an "old lady" sitting on the sidelines of Europe. The lecturer believed that Brazil and African Portuguese-speaking nations would eventually take over the mantle of cultural leadership from Portugal.

In discussing the global reach of the Portuguese language, the lecturer remarked that, despite its spread, Portuguese culture was less prominent on the world stage. In places like the United States, Spanish was much more widely taught and studied. Even in discussions of Portuguese literature, Brazilian authors like Machado de Assis were often better known than Portuguese major writers. The lecturer expressed frustration that Portuguese culture was frequently overlooked, both in Europe and abroad, and speculated on why this might be the case.

Returning to the subject of education, the lecturer explained that students in some U.S. universities were required to study Portuguese, although this was often seen as a novelty. While students might appreciate aspects of Brazilian culture, such as Samba or Bossa Nova, Portugal itself was often relegated to a tourist destination rather than a cultural powerhouse.

Toward the end of the lecture, the lecturer delved into the study of culture and its intersection with language. They discussed how language and culture were connected but also distinct. Learning a language did not necessarily mean understanding its associated culture. For example, when someone learned English, they didn’t automatically absorb British or American culture.

The lecturer also acknowledged the challenges of understanding different cultures. They admitted that for non-Portuguese speakers, it might be difficult to grasp Portuguese culture fully, especially without context or prior knowledge. They promised to provide more structured materials in the future to help students follow the lessons more easily.

Concluding, the lecturer touched on the idea of "peripheral" cultures—those less prominent on the global stage—and how studying them could provide deeper insights into the larger cultural and historical landscape. He referred to academic movements like New Historicism, which emphasized learning history not just through mainstream narratives but also by examining what had been overlooked or disregarded.

The lecturer wrapped up the class by reminding students that understanding culture was key to understanding humanity. They suggested that students apply the concepts discussed to their own cultural backgrounds and explore the rich diversity of Portuguese-speaking countries.

 The class eneded by encouraging students to reach out via email for any additional materials or clarifications.


Lição 7

8 Outubro 2024, 08:00 • Mário Vítor Bastos

Foi realizada uma discussão abrangente onde foram articulados temas de literatura, cultura, filosofia e política, examinando como a cultura refletiu e moldou a experiência humana, especialmente em tempos de conflito, entre outros.

1.Estudos das Culturas e Literatura:
   - O professor destacou a importância de compreender as culturas globais, com um foco específico na literatura portuguesa e a sua relevância.
   - Foi mencionada a antologia de poesia de língua portuguesa para a infância e juventude organizada por Sophia de Mello Breyner, com planos para discutir diferentes poetas dos países de língua portuguesa, como Moçambique, Brasil, Guiné-Bissau e Cabo Verde.
   - A poesia refletiu perspetivas culturais e históricas, comparando como a poesia de diferentes regiões se alinhava com temas de identidade, espiritualidade e universalidade.

2. Cultura Aborígene Australiana: O professor explorou as tradições poéticas orais dos aborígenes australianos, enfatizando o estilo de vida nómada e os aspetos rítmicos da sua poesia, estabelecendo uma ligação com os ritmos da música rap. Esta discussão serviu para explorar como a poesia evoluiu entre culturas.

3. O Papel da Cultura na Guerra:
   - O professor examinou como a cultura influenciou guerras e conflitos, discutindo exemplos como o conflito israelo-palestiniano, a guerra entre a Rússia e a Ucrânia, e as tensões no Médio Oriente.
   - As diferenças culturais eram muitas vezes usadas para justificar conflitos, mas o professor questionou por que razão essas diferenças não eram usadas para promover o entendimento.
   - A guerra foi apresentada como sendo tanto destrutiva como um motor de desenvolvimento tecnológico, com exemplos como a internet e a tecnologia de satélite, que tiveram origem no uso militar.

4. Perspectivas Filosóficas e Históricas:
   - A palestra explorou a tensão entre cultura e natureza, mencionando ideias de filósofos como Eric Fromm e abordando a forma como a humanidade se tinha distanciado das leis naturais através do desenvolvimento cultural.
   - Conflitos históricos, como os da Grécia Antiga e a forma como foram retratados na literatura e na arte, foram usados para explorar como as civilizações usaram a cultura para afirmar poder ou refletir sobre as suas experiências.

5. Arte e Interpretação:
   - O professor focou-se na forma como a arte, como a escultura "David" de Miguel Ângelo, foi interpretada de maneiras diferentes ao longo do tempo e em várias culturas. Ele salientou como a arte podia ser manipulada por regimes políticos, referindo-se ao regime Nazi e ao uso da estética para fins de propaganda.
   - O papel da arte em refletir e moldar a identidade cultural foi um tema recorrente, com o professor a discutir como símbolos culturais eram usados politicamente, particularmente no caso de figuras históricas e religiosas.

6. O Futuro da Cultura Portuguesa:
   - O professor expressou preocupações quanto à visibilidade decrescente da cultura e literatura portuguesas no cenário global, especialmente em comparação com o mundo lusófono mais amplo.
   - Previu que, embora a literatura portuguesa pudesse continuar a ser estudada, seria provavelmente ofuscada pela literatura do Brasil e dos países africanos de língua portuguesa.

7. Dimensões Políticas e Económicas da Guerra:
   - A última parte da aula discutiu os incentivos económicos da guerra, particularmente como as indústrias de armamento beneficiavam de conflitos prolongados. O professor notou o crescimento de tecnologias e indústrias militares, como as dos EUA e da Rússia, como motores de desenvolvimento económico e conflito.

8. Tolerância Cultural e Religiosa:
   - As discussões também tocaram na interação entre cultura e religião, particularmente em contextos  islâmicos. O professor referiu incidentes em que sensibilidades religiosas levaram à cobertura de obras de arte no Vaticano, para evitar ofender certos grupos.
   - Foi enfatizada a importância da compreensão e da tolerância entre culturas, especialmente quando práticas religiosas e culturais se cruzavam com políticas.

Aula 7

7 Outubro 2024, 17:00 • Nuno Amado

- Leitura e análise de A Ética Protestante e o Espírito do Capitalismo, de Max Weber

- Leitura e análise de O Mal-Estar na Civilização, de Sigmund Freud