A horizon of (im)possibilities: Reflecting on the social implications of recent political upheaval in Brazil

With crucial political events occurring at a dramatic pace (from President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment and her succession by Michel Temer, to the imprisonment of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the election of former military officer Jair Bolsonaro), the political landscape in Brazil has shifted rapidly, confronted with realities considered unimaginable only a few of years earlier. Indeed, depending on the perspective from which one looks at these events, it can be argued that the limits of what is politically possible have expanded (or contracted).

Tapping on the notion of possibility, and acknowledging that the recent presidential elections are but the end result, or culmination, of a series of social and political changes that have been taking place over several years, this conference invites researchers to consider and critically reflect on contemporary political events and their social implications.

A key question that will guide the discussions is:…