The São Paulo, Brazil program will not run in 2027.
Brazil is much more than samba, soccer, and Rio de Janeiro. In six weeks, the “Portuguese Language Immersion in Brazil: Justice, Equity, and Rights” program will immerse you in Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language. You will learn about some of Brazil’s most pressing social issues, while engaging with individuals, collectives, and movements fighting to forge a brighter future for their country and people.
Program Structure
The “Portuguese Language Immersion in Brazil: Justice, Equity, and Rights” program explores struggles faced by poor, Black, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized populations in Brazil and how those communities have mobilized to promote inclusion, reduce inequality, and demand justice. Issues related to housing and labor, environment and sustainability, race and racism, struggles for land, and access to quality health services and education are some of the topics discussed in the program. Visits to organizations and institutions, as well as exchanges with guest speakers and community members, help you to reflect on the issues at hand with a focus on solution-oriented and action-based initiatives.
You will greatly improve your Portuguese skills and knowledge of Brazil while also developing other valuable life skills, such as critical thinking, active listening, cultural awareness, independence, resilience, and adaptability to new environments.
The program includes daily classes in Portuguese over a six-week period. Classes will be held at the DRCLAS Brazil Office, located in the heart of São Paulo, on Avenida Paulista, and will be taught by faculty from Harvard’s Department of Romance Languages and Literatures as well as the Foundation School of Sociology and Politics of São Paulo (FESPSP). You will have access to a diverse offering of guest lectures and experiential field trips, excursions, and activities, including a five-day trip to Vale do Ribeira, a region of well-preserved Atlantic rainforest in the south of the state of São Paulo.
Additional Information
- Questions? Contact Cristiane Soares at CristianeSoares@FAS.Harvard.edu
- Need an accommodation? See Students in Need of Accommodations to request one through the Accessibility Services Office.
- Accepted to the program? See Admitted Students for information about predeparture requirements.
