INTEGRITY, CIVILITY AND GRACE

Class Project
HUM 252: Global Cultures- BRAZIL
James Madison University, Dept. Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

This site explores the lives of Brazilians who have contributed to Brazilian culture, by showing Integrity, Civility and Grace in their actions. The class has selected ten individuals in the following areas:

 

  • Aviation: Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian inventor and aviation pioneer, one of the very few people to have contributed significantly to the development of both lighter-than-air and heavier-than-air aircraft.

  • Justice: Sérgio Fernando Moro, a Brazilian federal judge, writer and college professor, who gained fame for overseeing the prosecution of the crimes identified in the Operation Car Wash, a case of high-profile scandals of corruption and bribery involving government officials and business executives.

  • Popular Literature: Paulo Coelho de Souza, a Brazilian lyricist and novelist, best known for his novel The Alchemist, translated worldwide.

  • Sports: Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, a Brazilian retired professional soccer player, regarded by many as the greatest player of all time, and Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, commonly known as Ronaldinho, a Brazilian former professional soccer player and ambassador for Barcelona, both known for inspiring youth in Brazil and around the world.

  • Music and Film: Carmen Miranda, a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress, and film star who was popular from the 1930s to the 1950s, nicknamed “The Brazilian Bombshell”.

  • Gender Equality: Ana Maria de Jesus Ribeiro da Silva, best known as Anita Garibaldi, the Brazilian wife and comrade-in-arms of Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi. Their partnership epitomized the spirit of the 19th century’s Age of Romanticism and revolutionary liberalism and is a symbol for gender equality.

  • Urbanism and Architecture: Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho, known as Oscar Niemeyer, a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture.

  • Fashion: Gisele Caroline Bündchen, a Brazilian model and actress, who has been among the highest-paid models in the world, the 16th richest woman in the entertainment industry and the Forbes top-earning model.

  • Martial Arts: Mestre Bimba (Manoel dos Reis Machado), a great capoeirista who lived from 1900-1973, best known for inventing the style called “capoeira regional,” which opened the door for the legalization of capoeira in Brazil and its spread in popularity throughout the country.