23.10.2024
The Monthly Seminar Social Movements and Political Action celebrated its 10th anniversary on October 15, 2024, with a special edition entitled “Where Does Democracy Live?”. This event also marked the 50th anniversary of democracy in Portugal, providing a space for reflection on the influence of social movements in the construction and transformation of urban and democratic politics over the last five decades.
Launched on October 15, 2014, the seminar has so far held more than 100 sessions, becoming a space for dialog and critical debate on the intersection between political action and citizen participation.
The program began with the panel “Inhabiting democracy: between participation, policies and practices”, which discussed the contemporary challenges of democratic participation in Portugal. Experts Roberto Falanga (ICS-ULisboa), Guya Accornero (CIES-Iscte) and Luís Mendes (IGOT-ULisboa) addressed topics such as spatial exclusion and new urban movements in the post-pandemic context, under the moderation of Rafael Pinheiro (CIES-Iscte).
In the afternoon, the panel “Democratizing housing: between rights, interests and exclusion” discussed the historical conflict over the right to housing. The interventions by Simone Tulumello (ICS-ULisboa), Agustin Cocola Gant (IGOT-ULisboa) and Rita Cachado (CIES-Iscte), moderated by Tiago Carvalho (CIES-Iscte), focused on the dynamics of segregation and exclusion that affect access to housing, especially in urban areas.
The event also featured a round table dedicated to academic production on housing struggles, followed by a concluding lecture by Rita Silva (Iscte), who revisited the advances and setbacks of the right to housing in the 50 years of democracy in Portugal.
The seminar closed with a tribute to Britta Baumgarten, led by Guya Accornero (CIES-Iscte) and Helena Carreiras, Vice-Rector of Iscte, recognizing the lasting impact of her research work on social movements and political action.
Britta Baumgarten (1975-2018), co-founder of the seminar, whose work has left an important legacy in the critical analysis of democracy and citizen practices.
Keep up with the program and find out more about the Monthly Cycle of Seminars on Social Movements and Political Action.
