The project Mobilizing for Democracy evolves around the three main themes: people, borders and immigration. It addresses the ways “the people” are presented in populist regimes, the ways in which cosmopolitanism can be promoted despite the increasingly strict immigration restrictions at the national level, and finally the possibilities of creating a new and inclusive imaginary that entails a global alternative to the existing policies.

The academic network between Aalborg University in Denmark and the Universities of Rio de Janeiro (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and Universidad do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ)) in Brazil brings a mix of expertise in urban movements, aesthetics of social movements, critical theory, refugee movements, populism and democracy. As a part of this project three seminars with the main theme ‘mobilizing democracy’ will be held, each focusing on one of the three main themes. The first seminar Who is ‘the people’? addresses the crisis of representation and discusses how social movements are organizing forms of participation and contesting right-wing populist discourses. It will be held at UFRJ. The second seminar What are borders for? is held at Aalborg University and focuses on the similarities between the ‘refugee crisis’ in Europe and Brazil. The final seminar How to imagine the future? Addresses how movements can help promote new imaginaries that encourage equality and community. The final seminar is held on UERJ.

As an important part of the intercontinental network, DEMOS will expand and internationalize its relations outside the European context. Moreover, this project offers an opportunity for developing an online course that will be available to students at Aalborg University and the Brazilian institutions.

 

MEMBERS:
Óscar García Agustín
Óscar García Agustín is an Associate Professor at the Department of Culture and Learning at Aalborg University and is a director of DEMOS group. In addition, he is a PI of the 3-year international research project Geographies of Populism in Europe. Agustín has published six monographies within the areas of populism, social movements and discourse theory.

Alexandre Fabiano Mendes
Alexandre Fabiano Mendes is an Associate Professor at Faculty of Law of the State University of Rio de Janeiro and a Former Professor of Urban Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Mendes’ focus areas include political philosophy and law, law and literature, urban social movements, urban commons.

Barbara Peccei Szaniecki
Barbara Peccei Szaniecki is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Visual Programming and an Adjunct Coordinator at the Graduate Program in Design at the State University of Rio de Janeiro

Flavia Guerra Cavalcanti
Flavia Guerra Cavalcanti is an Adjunct Professor in International Studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, with focus areas in migration, securitization and critical security studies, postcolonialism, social movements, critical border studies.

Giuseppe Cocco
Giuseppe Cocco, a Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, is a Researcher at The National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and The Rio de Janeiro’s Research Foundation (FAPERJ). His focus areas include globalization, social movements, biopolitics, urban politics, work and labor relations.

Helene Balslev Clausen
Helene Balslev Clausen is an Associate Professor in Mobilities & Global Tourism Development at the Department of Culture and Learning at Aalborg University. Clausen’s research focuses on mobilities, diverse economies, social change, governance, social justice and transnationalism.

Lotte Crone Roulund
Lotte Crone Roulund is a Teaching Assistant Professor at the Department of Culture and Learning at Aalborg University (Spanish and International Studies, International Business Communication, and Language and International Studies, English). Focus areas are resistance, democracy, civil society, indigenous people and Mexico.

Martin Bak Jørgensen
Martin Bak Jørgensen is an Associate Professor in Migration Studies at the Department of Culture and Global Studies at Aalborg University. His research focuses on migration policy, social movements, solidarity and urban politics.