BPC hosts the seminar “Development and Mobility in Perspective: from Global to Local”

 The seminar “Development and Mobility in Perspective: from Global to Local” aimed to reflect on the intersections and connections between mobility and development. Conceptualising mobility and development together brings with it the possibility of deepening debates, since it recognises that both operate in ways that are intrinsically related. The event occurred during the 16th and 17th of December, seeking to reflect and analyse on: a global scale, who are such displaced individuals, why they leave their lands, what threatens them and what are the obstacles they face throughout their journey; and, at a local level, in Rio de Janeiro, understanding what are the barriers to mobility and the development of residents and carioca citizens, whether it be in the areas of housing, transport, rights to the city, or in the socio-environmental sphere.

The seminar sought to include academic researchers and members of civil society and social movements in the debate in order to think about the diverse nuances and aspects of mobility and development, at both a global and local scale. Therefore, on the mornings of the 16th and 17th, tables were composed as follows: the first table, “Displacement at a global scale: aspects of forced displacement,” included speakers Leilane Santos (GRISUL/UNIRIO), Ricardo Prata (IRI/PUC-Rio) and Mariana Kehl (Clincal Psychology/PUC-Rio). The second table, “Local displacement and development: current movements in Rio de Janeiro,” involved speakers Adel Bakkour (NGO Abraço Cultural), Juciano Rodrigues (IPPUR/UFRJ; Observatory of Metropolises) and Cunca Bocayuva (NEPP-DH/UFRJ).

 Similarly, the event sought to create dialogues between the works developed by student researchers of IRI/PET-TEPP during this semester to establish a multidisciplinary discourse, understanding how the dynamics approached, both in the seminar and the research, affect the area of mobility and development. The panels with student researchers were held in the afternoons of the 16th and 17th of December, with presentations by Ariel Faccioli, Camila Medeiros, Carolina Futuro, Cleyton Lima, Giullia Marques, Kendra Camacho, Lucas Dantas, Luíza Macedo, Manuela Agrello, Maria Beatriz Mello, Mayara Maciel and Natália Tury.

Additionally, on the afternoon of the 16th, the event hosted a debate with the student researchers on the topic of the “Internationalisation of the Amazon”, seeking to explore the pros and cons of the topic, which are extremely relevant to Brazil’s current scenario. The activity aimed at understanding and analysing if the motion “should we defend the internationalisation of the Amazon?” should be made effective or not, based on the argumentative frameworks of the debaters. The group in favour was composed of student researchers: Ariel Faccioli, Bruno Bowmer, Carolina Martins, Cristina Shah and Manuela Agrello. The opposing group’s debaters included Ana Luiza Fernandes, Gabriel Estill, Luíza Ramalho, Natália Tury and Vinícius Lopes. The positions held during the debate did not necessarily reflect the real point of view of the debaters.