The Urban Exile of Migrant Women from Jean-Jacques Dessalines Urban Squat

• Grant number: 24/20371-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - Public Policies
• Principal Investigator: Jacqueline Isaac Machado Brigagão
• Grantee: Fernanda Caroline Alves Bezerra de Melo
• Supervisor: Miguel Angel Martinez Lopez
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Uppsala University (UU), Sweden
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/14260-6 - LIBERDADE WITHOUT BORDERS: IMMIGRANT WOMEN FROM THE JEAN-JACQUES DESSALINES URBAN SQUAT IN THE STRUGGLE FOR HOUSING, BP.MS

Abstract

São Paulo, one of Latin America's largest urban centers, has experienced a significant influx of migrants in recent years, a majority of whom are women. Despite this demographic shift, the city's urban and housing infrastructure has failed to adequately address the specific needs of this marginalized group, exacerbating social, economic, and urban challenges. Therefore, inefficiency of housing policies that overlook the intersection of migration and gender perpetuates cycles of inequality and precarious living conditions. In this sense, this research aims to investigate the political and social participation of migrant women in the development of housing policies in São Paulo with a particular focus on their role in grassroots movements. To achieve such an objective, fieldwork was conducted at the Jean-Jacques Dessalines Immigrant Squat, located in the Liberdade neighborhood, in central São Paulo. Adopting an urban citizenship framework, this research employs an activist methodology, positioning research as a tool for advocating social change. This approach fosters collaboration between researchers and community members, particularly in movements addressing social injustices. The study focuses on a discursive analysis of migrant women's narratives, exploring their lived experiences in the struggle for housing. By centering these narratives, this paper seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by migrant women and to underscore their critical role in shaping social movements and influencing public housing policies. The significance of this investigation lies in its focus on South-South migration, where the destination country-also part of the global periphery-faces institutional weaknesses and insufficient migration and urban governance networks. This approach offers insights into the unique dynamics and challenges that arise in contexts with limited institutional support and less developed public policy frameworks. Ultimately, the study aims to contribute to more inclusive and gender-responsive housing policies, grounded in the realities of migrant women's political and social struggles.