The Portuguese In Canada

Essays examine the history of the Portuguese diaspora, the Portuguese presence in Newfoundland and its fisheries, language and identity, urban experiences (especially in Montreal and Toronto), and history and literature.

Even though the Portuguese are relatively new in Canada, they have made a major contribution to the cultural mosaic of this country. There are few published studies of this group, and this collection fills a gap in the scholarly literature of multiculturalism in Canada. In his foreword, geographer James Warkentin comments: 'I have rarely read a book where I felt so close to grasping what life is like for an immigrant group.' The contributors come from a variety of disciplines - anthropology, geography, history, literature and language, linguistics, sociology, and urban planning - and from Portugal, Canada and the United States. Essays examining the history of the Portuguese diaspora, the Portuguese presence in Newfoundland and its fisheries, language and identity, the urban experiences of Portuguese women and men, especially in Montreal and Toronto, and history and literature. The Portuguese in Canada conveys the multi-faceted Portuguese contribution to Canada and considers possible future growth and development of Portuguese-Canadian culture and heritage.

The teaching of Portuguese across the vast Canadian territory, characterized by one particular variety at times or through a dynamic convergence of both Portuguese and Brazilian varieties at others, has attracted primarily learners for whom Portuguese may be considered a heritage language. However, the number of learners from non-Lusophone backgrounds in the Portuguese language classroom continues to grow-a trend fueled by motivations as diverse as the learners' profiles.Both teachers and learners contribute to the multi-dimensional diversity that the teaching and learning experience represents. Teachers and learners, from distinct ethno- and sociolinguistic backgrounds, come together in the classroom to cultivate and celebrate their personally unique-yet interconnected-relationship with the Portuguese language. However, considering that Portuguese in Canada is always taught and learned in a minority language context, teachers and learners' plurilingual and intercultural competencies are more-often-than-not left unacknowledged and unexplored, despite the Portuguese language classroom's rich multilingual and multicultural nature.In light of these and other factors, this volume has been conceptualised with the objective of bringing scholars and teachers together to promote the sharing of knowledge and to foster a critical reflection relevant to the teaching and learning of Portuguese in Canada, simultaneously informing a holistic mapping of its current expansiveness.

“We are making an interesting break with conventional sociology.... In recent years sociologists, anthropologists, and other students of social behaviour have made considerable use of the network metaphor ... as a peg, as a witching wand, and as a blueprint.” –from the Preface by Charles Tilly

MEMORIA: An Anthology of Portuguese Canadian Writers showcases contemporary fiction, nonfiction and poetry that reflect the changing Portuguese Canadian community while supporting new voices in the diaspora. Contributors include Clemente Alves, Edith Baguinho, Nelia Botelho, Esmeralda Cabral, Tony Correia, paulo da costa, Humberto da Silva, Aida Jordão, Irene Marques, Antonio M. Marques, Emanuel Melo, Eduardo Bettencourt Pinto, Paul Serralheiro, Richard Simas, and Laureano Soares. Foreword by noted academic and author Onésimo T. Almedia.

Noivo (sociology, U. of Montreal) describes perceptions and life experience and offers a perspective on family related issues such as housework, ageing, gender relations, and family violence. She analyzes the multiple burdens generated by migration, class, gender, generation, and minority status and discusses the interplay between family and economic life. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR