Program Overview
Program Overview
Once marked by violence and marginalization, Brazil’s cultural capital of Rio de Janeiro is today experiencing an unprecedented metamorphosis. A healthy Brazilian economic outlook paired with the implementation of social integration strategies—like the bolsa família and the installation of a peacekeeping police force in the hillside communities known as favelas—are having a major impact on the general welfare and safety of the city, making Rio a potential model for tackling major social issues. Favelas—originally small, inaccessible communities of escaped and freed slaves and now home to nearly 25 percent of Rio de Janeiro’s population—are considered fountains of culture in the city. Amidst Rio’s spectacular landscape of granite mountains, tropical vegetation, white sand beaches, and deep blue sea, we’ll explore the city’s current political backdrop and witness firsthand the energy, kindness, and challenges favelas face.
Program Activities
Program Activities
Formal lectures, guided hikes and tours, and meetings with local community leaders and public safety officials will frame participants’ immersion into favela culture including both recent strides and persistent challenges. A community service project in a favela community will provide an important experiential component to participants’ learning processes. Participants will also take part in activities like a samba class or percussion lesson, and attend a local ethnic festival to gain additional social and historical context for understanding the culture of Brazil, and Rio de Janeiro in particular.
Program Objectives
Program Objectives
During this seminar, participants will:
- Develop an understanding of the socio-historical formation of favela culture.
- Engage in discussion and debate around Brazil’s broad public welfare programs and their challenges, advancements, and future goals.
- Explore the reality of community-building and peacekeeping within favelas amidst ongoing drug trafficking and violence.
- Engage in discourse about Brazil’s economic outlook in the context of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics using the lived experiences of local favela residents.
Seminar Locations
Seminar Locations
Based in Rio de Janeiro; participants fly in and out of Rio de Janeiro.