With the conclusion of the on-the-ground research for the Horto d’El Rey project, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of the current and former students of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) who helped in the research, organization, and facilitation of the community workshop meetings in...
Brazil Fulbright research
Third Horto d’El Rey community workshop meeting on December 10
Last Thursday evening was the third Horto d’El Rey community workshop meeting. Per the research plan, residents of all the neighborhoods surrounding the garden (Carmo, Amparo, Amaro Branco, Bonsucesso) were invited to this workshop along with heritage experts. The turnout wasn’t quite as good as the first workshop, but...
Seminar on Interventions in Cultural Property Affected by Legal Protection
Earlier today, I attended a half-day seminar on “Interventions in Cultural Property Affected by Legal Protection,” which covered the legal framework for built heritage protection and the general practice of conservation in Brazil. What I found particularly useful was the presenters’ focus on the challenges that Brazil faces for...
Second Horto d’El Rey community workshop meeting on November 28
The second in a series of three Horto d’El Rey community workshops is planned for Saturday, November 28 at the G.R.E.S. Preto Velho in Olinda. This particular workshop is specifically for residents of the Amaro Branco, Amparo, and Bonsucesso neighborhoods, which are to the north of the garden. (The...
Are we ready for post-modern public and local history?
One of the researchers that is helping me with my work here in Brazil recently emailed me a course announcement from ANPUH (The National Association of History in Brazil). The course title is “Historical Research in Areas of Architecture and Heritage: Theory and Methods.” You can see the full...
A Visit to Minas Gerais and Diamantina
Last week, I attended the 6th National Seminar on Geography and Phenomenology in Diamantina, located in the state of Minas Gerais. As part of the seminar, I was able to attend a number of field trips in the surrounding area. Diamantina is in the interior of Brazil, much further...
A Visit to Rio de Janeiro
A few weeks ago, I made a short visit to Rio de Janeiro to talk to heritage conservation planners from IPHAN (the federal heritage conservation organization) and planners in urban development. I wanted to get a better understanding of the overall planning process in Brazil and the nature of...
6th annual conference of the Research Group in Cultural Humanistic Geography in Diamantina, Brazil
This past week I gave the keynote address at the 6th annual conference of the Research Group in Cultural Humanistic Geography (“Grupo de Pesquisa Geografia Humanista Cultural” or GHUM) in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil. I also took the time to attend some of their sessions. From my experiences at...
Food and drink in Brazil
First, I want to make a disclaimer: my food and beverage preferences are decidedly odd in most cultural contexts, including the dominant food culture in the United States. I am most accurately described as a vegetarian, but I do eat seafood – perhaps a “pescetarian” is a more accurate...
Protecting built heritage and cultural landscapes through organic law
Organic law is defined as the fundamental laws of a country, such as a constitution. Theoretically, all laws in a country should therefore be derived from organic laws. The United States has one of the shortest and oldest constitutions in the world, but while short can equate to simple...