Collective will and the Brazilian Left: how is a real movement built out of a crisis of praxis?

This project is intended to follow and analyse the most recent activities of groups identified to be in the Brazilian Left. Through fieldwork and theoretical analysis, the goal is to understand how the Left views itself, how collective will can be developed within these groups, and if a critical pedagogical methodology can assist in this process. The ethnographic methodology employed in this project will help to identify who the main actors are and what kind of activities have been prioritized by Left organizations. This is very important considering the context of poverty and inequality in Brazil, as these activities are often related to social justice concerns. Strong divergences are expected to be found between the perspectives of Left organizations that, on the surface, seem to be in agreement, which will help to explain why the Brazilian Left is fragmented and part of a general crisis of democratic representation in Brazil.

Faculty Supervisor:

Justin Paulson

Student:

Partner:

Universidade de Brasília

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

University:

Carleton University

Program:

Globalink Research Award