Category Archives: Urban Landscapes

The Lived Effects of the Rio Olympics

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Colin M. Snider

Recently, The Guardian has been running an excellent series on the lived experiences of the Olympics from a usually-ignored perspective: that of those living in favelas. Much of the concern over the upcoming Rio Olympics has fallen on Zika (despite August being … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Favelas, Inequalities in the Americas, Rio de Janeiro, Urban Landscapes | 1 Comment

Protests and Police Violence in São Paulo

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Colin M. Snider

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

The Sustainability of Carnaval (and Other Remarkable Facts)

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Colin M. Snider

Julia at Rio Real has an excellent piece up on how Carnaval is straining sustainability in the city of Rio de Janeiro. For example: Informal recyclers– some of whom are the people who stay overnight on the beach– quickly pick … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Carnaval, Rio de Janeiro, Urban Landscapes | 1 Comment

Around Latin America [Updated]

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Colin M. Snider

-Early reports are saying 245 232 people died in a nightclub fire last night in Santa Maria, a city in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul. Somewhere between 300 and 400 people were reportedly at the event, a party … Continue reading →

Posted in Amnesty, Argentina, Around Latin America, Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, El Salvador's Civil War (1980-1992), Elections in Latin America, Environmental Issues in the Americas, Guatemala, Human Rights Violations, Impunity, Land Struggles & Issues, Latin American Media, Latin American Militaries, Mexico, Peasant Movements, Peru, Prisoners' Rights, Rio de Janeiro, The Amazon, The Malvinas War, Urban Landscapes, Uruguay, Venezuela, Women's Movements & Issues | Comments Off on Around Latin America [Updated]

On Brazilian Infrastructure, Or, “Exploding Manholes Seem to Suggest a Bigger Problem”

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Colin M. Snider

Rio de Janeiro is going through all sorts of reconstruction, renovation, and re-imaging as it prepares to host the upcoming 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. While a lot of these transformations are for foreign guests, there is no … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Urban Landscapes | Comments Off on On Brazilian Infrastructure, Or, “Exploding Manholes Seem to Suggest a Bigger Problem”

Thoughts on Urbanization and Deforestation in the Amazon

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Colin M. Snider

The New York Times’ Simon Romero has an excellent piece up on the recent urban growth in the Amazonian region of Brazil. The Amazon has been viewed for ages as a vast quilt of rain forest interspersed by remote river outposts. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Environmental Issues in the Americas, The Amazon, Urban Landscapes | 1 Comment

On This Date in Latin America – October 27, 1912: Sugarloaf Mountain Gets a Tram

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Colin M. Snider

If you go to Google’s main  page today, you won’t see anything out of the usual. However, if you head of to Brazil’s Google page, you’re greeted with this (animated) image: It’s an animated image of a tram going up … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, On This Date in Latin America, Rio de Janeiro, Urban Landscapes | Comments Off on On This Date in Latin America – October 27, 1912: Sugarloaf Mountain Gets a Tram

Around Latin America

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Colin M. Snider

-Former president and convicted human rights violator Alberto Fujimori is planning on asking for a pardon from his prison sentence due to health issues in a move that would undo years of efforts for justice for the victims of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberto Fujimori, Argentina, Around Latin America, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Civil Conflict in the Americas, Colombia, Corruption, Costa Rica, Curação, Democracy in the Americas, Elections in Latin America, Favelas, Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionárias de Colombia (FARC), Guerrilla Movements in Latin America, Haiti, Honduras, Human Rights Issues, Human Rights Violations, Inequalities in the Americas, International Relations, Land Reform, Land Struggles & Issues, Latin America, Latin American Politics, National Parks, Paraguay, Paramilitary Groups, Peasant Movements, Peru, Police in the Americas, Police Violence, Poverty, Urban Landscapes, Uruguay, Venezuela, Violence in the Americas, War in Latin America | Comments Off on Around Latin America

Brazil’s Military Withdraws from Favelas in Rio de Janeiro

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Colin M. Snider

In a little-observed story last week, Brazilian military troops announced that, after occupying several favelas since 2010, they were withdrawing from a number of favelas in Rio de Janeiro. In their stead, members of the police’s Unidade de Polícia Pacificadora (Police Pacifying … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Favelas, Police in the Americas, Rio de Janeiro, Urban Landscapes | Comments Off on Brazil’s Military Withdraws from Favelas in Rio de Janeiro

Apparently, Miami is the new Miami of Brazil

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Colin M. Snider

When I lived in Rio de Janeiro, there was a relatively recently developed area that looked nothing like the rest of the city. Unlike most of Rio, Barra da Tijuca, located along the southwestern coast of Rio, had many huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, United States, Urban Landscapes | Comments Off on Apparently, Miami is the new Miami of Brazil