Places of memory and conscience: the territorialities of Bolivians in São Paulo

Abstract

Memory, history and city have intimate and complex connections, various possible approaches and understandings. A possible comprehension of those connections comes from the classical definition of city in the culturalist tradition: the city understood as result of a collective work, is built by the constant movement of join and deconstruction, which in part disappears and in part remains in time (GORELIK, 2009). In this perspective, it is understood that the violence transforms the city and its forms of representation. No wonder, places related to massacres, disasters, trauma and disasters, has been constantly required by the civilian population as legal evidence, symbolic and educational spaces and, mainly, as affirmation of human rights. The territoriality of Bolivians in São Paulo is a theme that can be understood in the light of these reflections. Despite being more than 350,000 in greater São Paulo, their presence in public life of the city, transport, parks, streets, is still not notable. Considering that such a condition should not be confused with total absence (CYMBALISTA; ROLNIK, 2010) this article pretends to discuss the possibilities of a more egalitarian inclusion of these immigrants in the public space. In its limit, the objective is to look at the emblematic case as a way to reflect on the possibilities of affirmation of human rights from and through the public space.