Project Summary:
In this GLE project, students defined and deconstructed key-terms such as race, ethnicity and multiculturalism, focusing at the same time on the often problematic relationship between the population with power and privilege and the population with minoritized identities. – in particular the African-American communities - and between different minorities living in the same social context. Students conducted a critical, scientific, and trans-cultural analysis of social justice in the U.S. and Brazil, highlighting similarities and differences between the two countries involved in the exchange. They delved into relevant issues such as racism, structural violence, symbolic violence, prejudice, citizenship, community needs, and empowerment, utilizing multiple concrete examples from both the U.S. and Brazilian contexts. They were encouraged to apply the theoretical concepts discussed in class to their own communities, fostering a deeper understanding of these issues.
Project Length:
Technology Tools Used:
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Learning Outcomes:
- Students developed respect for and gained an understanding of the perspectives of individuals different from themselves.
- Students acquired an understanding of global interconnectedness and interdependencies.
Faculty Feedback:
"The most beautiful thing about this exchange was certainly the students ‘willingness to open up to the understanding of a different reality that they did not know or that they only knew through the media. Personally, I was very happy with the atmosphere of great attention, curiosity and respect for the others in which the exchange took place. Technically, D2L was – in my opinion - a key tool for the success of the project, given that it is quite easy to use and allows users to upload different types of materials (videos, PDFs, audio, etc.) facilitating the interaction."
~ Dr. Michelangelo Giampaoli
"Any meeting on cultural differences is always a meeting between similarities and differences. For me, having participated in this exchange was an invitation to mediate the re-signification of cultural practices of Brazilian and North American students while, without realizing it, the same was happening to me. I keep this exchange experience as a very rich experience, as my students confirmed. Working with professor Michelangelo and talking openly about the challenges and joys of the exchange was for me the fundamental step towards the success of this GLE project."
~ Dr. Rafael Cardoso de Mello
Michelangelo Giampaoli
Institution: DePaul University
Discipline: Anthropology
Course name: Race, Power and Resistance
Rafael Cardoso de Mello
Institution: Centro Universitário Barão de Mauá
Discipline: History
Course name: História e cultura africana e afrodescendente