URBAN INEQUALITY, ACTIVISM, AND CHANGE IN BRAZIL

This program examines inequality and activism in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador da Bahia Brazil. Students will explore different theoretical approaches to social and economic disparity, and consider what might be done to alleviate poverty and other forms of social injustice.  The cities of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador da Bahia will serve as case studies to outline global urban trends and draw some comparisons, especially between Brazil and the United States. Students will also be pushed to think creatively about activism as a solution to inequality. 

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​Of course, an introduction to the social and political context of Rio would be incomplete without also introducing participants to the unique surroundings that have earned it the moniker of Cidade Maravilhosa (The Marvelous City): a stunning geography of rugged mountains and the Atlantic’s sandy beaches. To take it all in, we will visit numerous historical, cultural, and tourist landmarks such as the Penha church (originally built by slaves in the 1690s), the Cristo Statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the Tijuca National Forest (the largest urban forest in the world, replanted by hand in the nineteenth century). There will also be an in-country excursion to Salvador da Bahia. Located on the northeastern coast, Salvador was Brazil's capital during much of the country’s colonial period, and today this city of 2.5 million is considered a major center of Afro-Brazilian culture. 

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