The principal objective
of this course is to introduce students to the government and politics of Brazil. The topic is approached in a
chronological fashion, taking the period from 1930 to the present in Part I, and
also in an analytical fashion, by examining some key political issues in past
eras and the contemporary period (Part II). Specific objectives include
understanding important features of Brazil's unusual political development,
compared to the rest of Latin America, the United States, and western Europe; appreciating
the generally conservative outcomes of most major political conflicts; examining
the enduring tensions engendered by the country's vast socioeconomic and
regional inequalities; and analyzing the ongoing struggle to democratize
political decision-making, social relations, and economic life.
Research Interests
Comparative Politics, Latin American Politics, Brazilian Politics, Military Rule, and Human Rights.
