Page 94 - IJPS-9-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Refugees’ voices in Brazilian cities

while also recognizing their right to engage actively in the movements, on the other hand, are understood as collective
decision-making procedures related to the formulation of action organizations, marked by an internal effort to build
policies that concern them. In doing so, it acknowledges a collective identity to pursue a “common good.”
their role as significant political subjects. As individuals According to Melluci (1995), social movements
who interact within the Brazilian community, those in a are comprised of systems of collective action, formed
state of refuge are also considered Brazilian citizens (De through complex networks connecting various levels and
Oliveira & Carneiro, 2022).
meanings of social action. These movements are often
For refugees, achieving effective social, economic, and initiated by leaders who possess prior experience, placing
cultural integration, as well as meaningful interaction, more emphasis on the representation of images and ideas
hinges on the elaboration of tailored reception policies. than on materialized organization. As a result, social
In addition, their incorporation into established public movements produce organizational models similar to
policies plays a pivotal role in fostering social balance in associations, which influence institutions and social actors,
the context of varying degrees of social inequality within thereby institutionalizing social practices and changing the
the city (Milesi, 2008; Milesi & Carlet, 2012). cultural language of a certain time (Melluci, 1995).
However, when we perceive the urban environment as Thus, not every collective action would constitute a
a diverse and dynamic public and political space, where social movement. For instance, an isolated manifestation
an array of demands and interests converge, and conflict, of people meeting on a specific date does not qualify as
the effective welcoming of its citizens and the realization a social movement; rather, it represents only a collective
of a genuinely democratic and civic city necessitate the action. According to Tilly (1993), to qualify as a social
active involvement of all individuals in shaping this space. movement, collective action must possess a repertoire,
This includes the refugee population (De Oliveira & that is, a set of actions, ideas, mechanisms, and strategies
Carneiro, 2022). that enable confrontation and communication. Examples
of such repertoire elements include the creation of
3. Social movement(s) associations, manifestations, pamphlets, and more.
In her study on the categorization of social movements, Moreover, within the same sense of a social movement
Gohn (1997) presents the paradigm of new social as a network or system, this very “network” may encompass
movements, contrasting them with classical and groups or several other movements, each with varied
contemporary theories. According to the author, the term repertoires, not necessarily pursuing the same ends, or
“new” refers to a new classification of social movements presenting a single identity. It is in this sense of network
in which it is possible to observe several subjects and that the struggle of refugees and refugee applicants for
actors (students, women, Black individuals, homosexuals, recognition and effectiveness of their right to the city
transgenders, immigrants, and more). Notable features can be classified as a social movement. This movement
of these movements include an emphasis on culture, comprises an organization of collective actions, formed by
ideology, daily social struggles, solidarity among members connections between various groups and social actions at
of a social group or movement, and the formation of different levels, all aimed at securing that right.
identities without the “old” dispute for state domination —
as opposed to the “old” traditional Marxist paradigm, by Nevertheless, it should be noted that these (empathetic)
which social movements were guided by class struggle and connections with different groups demonstrate that the
the seizure of state power (Gohn, 1997). struggle of the mentioned group for the right to the city is
not an isolated social movement. Instead, it represents an
This new approach to social movements analyzes
culture and ideology without necessarily (and exclusively) object of conflict and demand from several other groups
and movements with distinct identities and repertoires,
linking them to class consciousness. It also eliminates such as immigrants (in general) and the national population
the centrality of a specific, predetermined, and historical
subject, viewing politics as part of daily life and even not belonging to the hegemonic social group.
participants in collective actions as social actors, who For example, the struggle for the right to housing
are analyzed both through their collective actions and within the Municipality of São Paulo is led by movements
the collective identity formed during the process (Gohn, with distinct collective identities but similar repertoires of
1997). While collective action is defined as the union of collective action. These movements include the Housing
various types of conflict based on the behavior of the actors Struggle Front (Frente de Luta por Moradia [FLM],
within a social system, without presenting the factors of available at: http://www.portalflm.com.br/) and the
collective identity and organization (Melluci, 1995), social Group of Refugees and Homeless Immigrants (Grupo de

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2023) 88 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.438