Category Archives: São Paulo

On Volkswagen’s Ties to the Brazilian Dictatorship

Posted on February 2, 2015 by

I recently received an email about Volkswagen’s ties to the Brazilian military regime, documented in the final report of Brazil’s National Truth Commission  (Comissão Nacional da Verdade – CNV), available for full viewing/download here. Stories of Volkswagen’s ties to the military regime and its … Continue reading →

Posted in Argentina's Military Dictatorship (1976-1983), Brazil, Brazil's Military Dictatorship, Latin American History, Military Dictatorships, Multinational Corporations in the Americas, São Paulo, Truth Commissions

Regulating Hip-Hop in Brazil?

Posted on February 17, 2014 by

In an unusual story, rappers and hip-hop artists in Brazil are rallying in response to a law that seeks to regulate their art. Politician (and former soccer star) Romário proposed a bill that would regulate hip-hop professionals, including MCs, DJs, … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Brazilian Culture, Brazilian Music, Favelas, Governance in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo

Images from Brazil, as More than 1 Million Nationwide Take to the Streets

Posted on June 21, 2013 by

In spite of reductions in bus fares, the protests in Brazil have only expanded, as over one million people took to the streets in more than 100 cities  throughout the entire country. This included over 100,000 in Recife, around an estimated 300,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Bahia, Brasília, Brazil, Citizenship, Governance in Latin America, Latin American Politics, Police Violence, Protests in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Social Movements

More Victories & More Protests (or, Why Reducing Bus Fares Won’t Make Brazilian Protests Go Away Immediately)

Posted on June 20, 2013 by

Following up on the reduction of bus fares in several cities Tuesday, yesterday, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo both announced they were reducing fares for their public transport in the wake of protests over the past week (down to R$2.75 in … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 World Cup, Brazil, Citizenship, Democracy in the Americas, Futebol (Soccer), Governance in Latin America, Impeachment, Latin American Politics, Legal Issues in Latin America, Police in the Americas, Police Violence, Protests in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Social Movements, Sports in Latin America

More Thoughts on the Protests throughout Brazil Yesterday

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

Protests once again took place yesterday in major urban centers throughout Brazil, building on the protests of last week and the weekend. As of now, I don’t have much more to say about the causes and what the protests tell us … Continue reading →

Posted in Bahia, Brasília, Brazil, Citizenship, Governance in Latin America, Latin American Politics, Protests in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Social Movements, Sports in Latin America

More Thoughts on Protests in Brazil

Posted on June 17, 2013 by

Following the protests in São Paulo (and supporting demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro) last Thursday, the weekend saw protests spread throughout the country. On Saturday, as the Confederations Cup kicked off in Brasilia, protesters demonstrated against the costs of preparing … Continue reading →

Posted in Brasília, Brazil, Class and Classism in the Americas, Democracy in the Americas, Development in Latin America, Economics in the Americas, Governance in Latin America, Inequalities in the Americas, Latin American Economies, Latin American Politics, Protests in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo | 13 Comments

Protests and Police Violence in São Paulo

Posted on June 14, 2013 by

With the recent announcement of a hike in bus fares in São Paulo, residents took to the streets last night to peacefully express their opposition to and anger with the hike. However, the protests turned very ugly when the police … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Police in the Americas, Police Violence, Protests in Latin America, São Paulo, Urban Landscapes, Violence in the Americas | 1 Comment

Reminders of Racism in Modern Brazil

Posted on March 23, 2013 by

When I was in Brazil, I’d occasionally encounter people who repeated the Freyrean idea that Brazil isn’t racist in the ways the US was due to the greater variation in skin-color in Brazil and the absence of Jim Crow-style laws. … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Indigenous Peoples, Race in Brazil, Race in the Americas, Racism, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo | 2 Comments

On Oil and the Battle between State and Federal Governments in Brazil

Posted on March 11, 2013 by

The battle between state and federal power in Brazil has heated up recently. Last year, Congress passed a law that transformed the distribution of oil revenues in Brazil. Under the old system, the royalties from oil revenues mostly went to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bahia, Brazil, Development in Latin America, Inequalities in the Americas, Latin American Economies, Oil in the Americas, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo

The Dangers of Cycling in Brazil (or, “Juridical Weaknesses in Protecting Citizens”)

Posted on March 11, 2013 by

Yikes: A road collision in Brazil has caused outrage after police said a motorist drove off with a cyclist’s severed arm attached to his vehicle. The driver, who later turned himself in, reportedly told Sao Paulo police that he had … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Inequalities in the Americas, Legal Issues in Latin America, São Paulo