Last June citizens formed the biggest mass demonstrations of Brazil since the end of dictatorship in 1985. Who were the protesters? The consensus between Brazilian and foreign analysts points to the middle class youth. Indeed it is true that most on the streets were young people who had never protested on the streets before. But the emphasis on middle class is too simplistic.
Brazil
In my hometown Magé, fear is the spirit of the World Cup
Fear hit me two days ago: Friends and relatives desperately called to warn me of deadly armed conflicts in Magé (my hometown). The “pacification” of Rio before the World Cup has increasingly meant the end of peace for us in Magé.
The challenge of mobilizing workers and the poor continues
Last year, I wrote that it is a challenge to mobilize low-income workers and the poor in Brazil. A week…
Why #weareallmonkeys is ignorant, insensitive and stupid
The video where Daniel Alves ate the banana against the racist act of the Vilarreal fan made me smile with pride. But I was very angry when I saw the #weareallmonkeys campaign. It was ignorant, insensitive and stupid.
The civic legacy of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Rio’s preparations for the 2016 Olympics have been marked by human rights violations. Unfortunately, the sacrifice of the poorer for the progress of a city historically ruled by the rich is not new. But now, organized citizens have increasingly reacted. The Olympics have created a promising set of civil society alliances that may be re-shaping citizens’ involvement in Rio’s local politics.
The challenge of mobilizing the poor in Brazil
During the demonstrations in Brazil, many said the giant – the Brazilian people – finally woke up. While it is true that many young people, especially the well-off, have been more active as citizens for the past weeks than they were before, mobilizing lower-income populations remains a hard challenge.
Brazilian Everyday-Life Stories (2012-2013)
Part of my research is to do fieldwork in Rio. In 2012 and 2013, I decided to update my Facebook status with “textual snapshots” of the everyday life I saw in the process. Here is a collection.