Speaker: Bárbara Simões Daibert, Associate Professor, Dean of International Relations, and Institutional Coordinator of Languages Without Borders, Federal University Juiz de Fora

Professor Bárbara Simões Daibert (Ph.D., Fluminense Federal University) is Associate Professor and Dean of International Relations at Federal University Juiz de Fora.  Her areas of research include Afro-Brazilian and Afro-American Literature, Angolan and African Literature, Latin American Literature, critical theory, as well as comparative and philosophical approaches to literature and cultural studies.  Her two co-edited books, Escrituras de Deus e do Diabo (EdUFJF, 2012) and Nas bolsas de mandinga  (Mamm-UFJF, 2016) examine literary texts and their relation to history and religion. Her latest book, Firmina (forthcoming, 2019, Malê), is an historical novel based on the life of the first Afro-Brazilian novel writer, Maria Firmina dos Reis. Currently, Professor Daibert serves as Vice President of the Federal Council of Deans of International Relations in Brasilia and is responsible for the establishment of 84 international agreements between Federal University of Juiz de Fora and 84 universities in 34 countries. As Dean of International Relations, she created the Global July Program in 2017, the More Languages Program (Programa Mais Idiomas), and the Promid Program (Programa de Mobilidade Internacional Docente) in partnership with Temple University. Established in 2017, the Global July Program has enabled Federal University Juiz de Fora to welcome scores of international professors and students. In 2019’s edition, 30 undergraduate and 30 graduate courses were offered by professors of UFJF in partnership with professors from international institutions.