Disputes, Narratives, and Routes: Conflicts and Participatory Management for Sustainable Development

How can we address the issue of conflicting narratives surrounding heritage? In a world where underprivileged communities often have little or no input in the conservation and depiction of their history, the challenge is to establish a democratic and participatory approach to managing these issues.

Using the case of Magé, an underprivileged city with a rich cultural background located 38 miles from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the upper margin of Guanabara Bay and part of the metropolitan region, we have an outstanding example of a place impacted by urban expansion, the hazards of an oil-based economy, and a fragile yet incredibly biodiverse environment. Magé is home to five conservation areas comprising mangroves, coastal plains, and mountains, showcasing the delicate balance between development and preservation. Additionally, Magé boasts a strong fishing community and historic maroon communities that are well-integrated into this ecosystem, highlighting the interplay between local livelihoods and environmental stewardship.

This lecture presents a toolkit designed to manage conflicts and promote social justice within public policy, aiming for a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Daniel Athias de Almeida, an architect and urban planner, has shared his expertise in architecture at UNIAN and UNI REDENTOR, focusing on cultural heritage and counter-hegemonic discourses in Rio de Janeiro. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. at FAU/UFRJ and serving as a visiting scholar at the Center for Sustainable Urban Development at Columbia University. Daniel is an active researcher at SEL/PROARQ-UFRJ and a member of the Heritopolis Society.

His work in the field of Cultural Heritage in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro focuses on established routes and counter-hegemonic discourses as a way of stitching together a new historical, cultural, and territorial understanding. He currently works as a researcher in the SEL/PROARQ-UFRJ Group and in the Heritopolis Society, an international institutional consortium linked to UN-Habitat.

Register here for the online stream.

Co-organized by the MS in Architecture and Urban Design and the MS in Historic Preservation programs.