Portugal and the Sea

Objectives

1. Get to know the perspectives of scientific areas very different from one another on one same question: What do we think of when we talk about «Portugal’s relationship with the sea» ?

2. Understand the multiple components of a «cultural identity».

3. Be able to think of the reality «Portugal and the sea from the 15th till the 20th centuries» in different ways of those the student got used to along his/her 1st cycle in History

4. Develop sensibility for cultural themes and questions.

5. Strenghten the practice of critical reasoning and of synthesis abilities.

6. Get to know bibliographies that will be needed to the future dissertation.

Program

The aim is to think in common of the following question:
«Portugal and the Sea from 15th to 20th centuries: a cultural identity ?»
To its achievement, four inter-complementary approach courses will be tracked:
I – The present self-image of the relationship between the Country and the sea
II – Physical and chronological characterization of these spaces
III – Two aspects of the Portuguese overseas Expansion in the Atlantic:
A. the encounter of cultures
B. maritime Law
IV - The relationship with the sea as seen in Portuguese erudite culture:
A. in literature
B. in historiography
Conclusions

Teaching Methodologies

Reading and discussing significant texts . Many of these texts get available on the electronic platform of the course and they must be red before the class; many others are brought by the teacher, will be red in class and won’t be known before it. The teaching methodology is, therefore, teacher-centered in what concerns the themes and the texts to study, and centered on the inter-action of all (trainees and teacher) concerning the construction of conclusions.

Bibliography

CARVALHO, Joaquim Barradas de, Rumo de Portugal: a Europa ou o Atlântico, 1982

CUNHA, Tiago Pitta e, Portugal e o Mar. À Redescoberta da Geografia, 2011

GODINHO, Vitorino Magalhães, Portugal: a Emergência de uma Nação, 2004

MATTOSO, José, et al, Portugal: o sabor da terra : um retrato histórico e geográfico por regiões. 2ª ed, 2010

MENESES, Avelino de, «Portugal é o mar», 2008

PIRES, António Machado Pires, «O carácter Português», 1994

RIBEIRO, Orlando, LAUTENSACH, Hermann, Geografia de Portugal , 4 vols., org., com., actual. de Suzanne Daveau, 1991-1995

SOBRAL, José Manuel, Portugal, Portugueses: Uma Identidade Nacional , 2012