Since the Fundão and Córrego do Feijão dams collapsed in 2015 and 2019, respectively, local communities and the mining companies responsible for the catastrophes have battled over the causes of the failures as well as the control of impacted territories. Brazilian journalism professor André Luís Carvalho will share his experiences working with citizen journalists in affected communities to co-create and maintain media platforms to preserve memory and denounce violations.
In 2015, the Samarco-operated Fundão dam collapsed in the municipality of Mariana, Brazil, unleashing a tsunami of nearly two billion cubic feet of mineral waste onto downstream communities. Over the course of 20 days, the waste traveled over 370 miles downriver, contaminating waterways and destroying almost 1,600 acres of vegetation. Nineteen people died and more than 600 families lost their homes. Brazilian economist Mônica Viegas will share the results of her 2021 study to estimate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) losses among affected communities.
Data, infographics, and technical reports cannot communicate the trauma suffered by communities impacted by tailings dam collapses. Though the failures of the Samarco-operated Fundão dam in 2015 and Vale´s Córrego do Feijão dam in 2019 are years in the past, local communities in Brazil are still reeling. Many continue to suffer from post-traumatic stress, the loss of loved ones, contaminated drinking water, and the impunity of those responsible for the dam failures. Join us to learn what justice, reconciliation, and reparations looks like for impacted communities.
Join us for a screening of "Ironland" (Brazil, 2021, 99'), a film by Lucas Bambozzi about how extractivism – and massive mining catastrophes – have shaped the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and its inhabitants. The screening will...
Based on the research for his upcoming book, Soldiers and Kings, Jason De León puts the spotlight on the billion-dollar human smuggling industry that resulted from both U.S. and Mexican immigration and border policies. Using his unforgettable photography and powerful prose, he documents the daily lives of Honduran smugglers who due to heightened security measures, make profit from transporting undocumented migrants across Mexico. In this eye-opening talk, he discusses the evolving, complicated relationship between transnational gangs, the human smuggling industry, and the migrants caught...
Harvard Law School, Wasserstein Hall, room B0015 (basement level)
The Elgar Companion to the World Trade Organization – launching at this event – provides an extensive guide to understanding the WTO, the current state of affairs on global trade and its geopolitical angles, and its impact on the global economy. Spread among 50 chapters and 70+ authors coming from all the regions of the world, the companion deep dives into an array of trade-related issues focusing in particular on three overarching topics: i) digitalization and technology; ii) facilitating the flow of goods, services and investment; and, iii) geopolitics.
Join us for the LAPA Dialogues event on Wednesday, April 10th, at 5 p.m. in the Malkin Penthouse. This flagship event, organized by the Latin America Policy Association (LAPA), aims to unite the HKS Latin American community to discuss the region's most pressing challenges and foster connections among students interested in these issues. Featuring esteemed speakers, the event promises insightful discussions on Latin America's productive, economic, and political challenges towards 2030.
Breaking the Bronze Ceiling uncovers a glaring omission in our global memorial landscape—the conspicuous absence of women. Exploring this neglected narrative, the book emerges as the foremost guide to women's memorialization across diverse cultures and ages. As global memorials come under intense examination, with metropolises vying for a more inclusive recognition of female contributions, this book stands at the forefront of contemporary discussion. More than a mere compilation, Breaking the Bronze Ceiling epitomizes a movement. The book comprehensively assesses the portrayal of women...
This research project explores how the Mexican War on Drugs prompted drug cartels to diversify their activities and expand their geographic presence beyond their historical strongholds. Focusing on oil theft, it then explores the intrusion of cartels into new territories and analyzes its impacts on politics, crime, and violence.
Speaker: Marco Alcocer, Academy Scholar, The Harvard Academy...
The largest conference about Brazil organized by Brazilian Students, researchers, and professors. The mission is to create a diverse space for debate, the development of ideas about the future of Brazil, and the promotion of transformative actions.