Honors Passport Course to Examine Social, Political and Economic Domains of Brazil in June 2025

The Honors College has partnered with top faculty scholars to offer its signature study abroad experience, Honors Passport, a summer course that takes students to historically and culturally significant sites around the globe. In June 2025, the program will head to Brazil. 

Led by Caree Banton, associate professor of African diaspora history and director of the African and African American Studies Program, and Edvan Brito, adjunct lecturer in African and African American studies, the course will offer a thorough examination of the foundational sociocultural elements underpinning Brazilian society. Crucial elements of social organization, including race, class, gender and sexuality, and their impact on the perpetuation of inequality across Brazil's social, political and economic domains will be studied using an intersectional perspective. The course is open to honors students from every college.  

"Through the experiences we have curated, students will be able to gather insights that they would otherwise be unable to grasp by just visiting Brazil on their own," Banton explained. "Activities on the wide-ranging itinerary will immerse them in a country rich in culture that has been designated by economists as a BRICS country due to its economic growth and potential." 

This interdisciplinary program will draw on diverse texts spanning literature, anthropology, sociology, journalism, history and film with a goal of helping students gain a nuanced understanding of Brazilian society. 

By engaging in insightful cross-cultural analyses, students will be able to identify parallels between Brazilian cultural heritage and that of other Latin American nations as well as the United States, thereby developing not only a deeper appreciation for Brazil's complexities but also cultivating the critical skills necessary for comparative cultural analysis and understanding.  

"The 2025 installment of our Honors College Passport series won't disappoint," said Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College. "The overarching theme—social justice in Brazil—perfectly fits this generation of honors scholars' interest in promoting fairness in society across the globe. For the students lucky enough to earn a place, the experience promises to take them off the tourist track and into the lived spaces of contemporary Brazilians from diverse backgrounds. The food, music and dance segments of the course will produce memorable moments along the way."

To maximize cultural immersion, students will also spend time in traditional dance and drumming workshops and be educated by experts about the wide variety of music styles that come from Brazil such as funk carioca, axé music, samba-reggae and the widely recognized bossa nova. They will also have opportunities to taste local cuisine, observe the traditional martial art of capoeira, explore the mystical religion of candomblé and join local fans to attend a soccer (futebol) game in the iconic Maracanã Stadium. The rich history of black resistance in Brazil will also be highlighted in visits to museums and discussions with local activists.  

"I'm excited to share the diverse elements that make Brazil one of the most beautiful and fascinating countries in the world, while also highlighting its challenges and areas for improvement, particularly in fostering a more just and equitable society," Brito shared. "This program offers a unique opportunity for students to explore Brazil's rich cultural heritage and complex social landscape, and gain insights into both its beauty and its struggles." 

Visit honorspassport.uark.edu to learn more about Honors Passport: Brazil and view photos and video footage of past excursions to Japan, Peru and points along the storied Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route through France and Spain.  

ABOUT CAREE BANTON

Banton is an associate professor of African diaspora history and the director of the African and African American Studies Program at the U of A. She completed her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University in June 2013. Much of her work focuses on teaching and learning with an emphasis on strong research, written and verbal communication skills, problem-solving around issues of diversity, justice and equity and cultivating empathetic listening abilities in adults. Her academic research focuses on movements toward freedom, particularly abolition, emancipation and colonization through which she explores ideas of citizenship, nationhood and race. Her work has been supported by the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, the Andrew Mellon Foundation Fellowship, the Lapidus Center Fellowship at the Schomburg Center, the Nancy Weiss Malkiel Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Humanities grant. Banton is a member of the U of A Teaching Academy and has been named a Master Teacher in Fulbright College. Her book, More Auspicious Shores: Barbadian Migration to Liberia, Blackness, and the Making of the African Republic, was published by Cambridge University Press in May 2019. 

ABOUT EDVAN BRITO

Brito is an adjunct lecturer in African and African American studies at the U of A, where he specializes in the African diaspora in the Americas and Luso-Afro-Brazilian history and culture. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in linguistics from Georgetown University. With over 14 years of experience directing Portuguese language programs and teaching Portuguese and Luso-Afro-Brazilian culture, Brito has contributed to numerous esteemed institutions such as Georgetown University, Middlebury College, the U of A, the Defense Language Institute (DLI), Dickinson College and Howard University. He has published several peer-reviewed articles on sociolinguistics and Portuguese as an additional language. In addition to his academic work, he is the author of two children's books: Vela and the Gats and Breathe Luna Breathe.