Module manager: Inês Cordeiro Dias
Email: i.cordeirodias@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
No pre-requisites – all materials are provided with a parallel English translation; no prior knowledge of Portuguese required
SPPO3701 – Urban Realities and Representations in the Portuguese-Speaking World
This module is approved as a discovery module
This module is approved as a skills discovery module
This module examines urban cultural artefacts (as well as the histories and societies of their production) that are central to the imagination of the contemporary Portuguese-speaking world. It uses selected examples of cultural production, including film, short literary works, visual art, popular music, tourism and print media, all of which are provided in Portuguese/English translation. The cities of the Portuguese-speaking world demonstrate not only the vibrancy and diversity of these multipolar linguistic spaces, but also ongoing legacies of class inequalities, gender bias and racial discrimination. Ultimately, the course aims to endow students with an understanding of the key issues that continue to shape key Portuguese-speaking cities as they continue to develop in the twenty-first century. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
This module aims to introduce students to the urban realities and processes that have shaped – and continue to shape - the Portuguese-speaking world today. In-class learning activities involve contextual, conceptual and theoretical outlines of key module topics (lectures), and close analysis and discussion of cultural artefacts (seminars). By closely examining and discussing selected examples of cultural production from Portuguese-speaking urban spaces (in South America, Europe and Africa), students will develop a detailed, in-depth and wide-ranging understanding of patterns of social, economic and political development within urban spaces. By applying key Urban Studies concepts to Portuguese-speaking cities, they will gain knowledge and understanding of those urban spaces (and the cultures arising from them), while developing essential transferable and professional skills. These competencies include Critical Thinking, Close Analysis, Systems Thinking, Ethical Reflections, Information Searching and Creativity.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Appraise key Portuguese-speaking urban spaces in Europe, Latin America and Africa, understanding similarities and differences in their historical, cultural and political situations
2. Critically apply appropriate concepts from the field of Urban Studies to the analysis of cultural production from the Portuguese-speaking world
3. Critically examine and interpret different forms of cultural production from the Portuguese-speaking world.
4. Develop a well-structured and evidence-based argument in response to a set question, informed by relevant scholarly debates 5. Design an original research project, gathering and evaluating ideas and information from a wide range of sources 6. Communicate effectively arguments, ideas and information according to academic conventions
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Independent online learning hours | 20 | ||
| Private study hours | 160 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
200
Students will receive informal, oral feedback on their ideas and their interpretations throughout both semesters (particularly during the seminars). They will also learn from each other in these classes, co-creating and developing ideas and interpretations of the cultural artefacts in question. In advance of Assessment #1, students will submit their chosen question and a bullet-point plan. They will then receive detailed feedback on their work during Office Hours. There will also be an Assessment Preparation Workshop, towards the end of Semester 1 during which the Assessment Brief and Marking Criteria will be reviewed, and any outstanding questions can be asked. Students will then be given written and oral feedback from this first summative assessment, which they can then reflect upon and implement in their second assessment. In advance of Assessment #2, students will submit their essay title and a detailed plan. They will then receive feedback on their work during Office Hours. There will be a Research Essay preparation workshop towards the end of Semester 2 during which the Assessment Brief and Marking Criteria will be reviewed, and any outstanding questions can be asked.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 40 |
| Project | Independent Project | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Learning Outcomes Assessed: Essay - 1, 3, 4, 6 Independent Project - 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team