Brazilians in Spain: communication and transnational activism in a context of economic-political crisis

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the communication and transnational activism of Brazilian immigrants in Barcelona, Spain, which can be linked to the current context of economic and political crisis in Brazil, focusing on the collective actions of these immigrants against the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff. Based on the theoretical interface between communication, migration, transnationalism and activism, the article uses a qualitative approach that includes semi-structured interviews with seven Brazilian activists in Barcelona and the collection of communication materials produced and shared by activists in digital spaces. The results highlight the complementarity of street spaces and digital social networks in the exercise of an activism in which immigrants reestablish links, participate and intervene in the politics of the country of origin, articulate with the Brazilian diaspora in the world and give visibility to the context of economic-political crisis in Brazil in social and media spaces in Spain and other European countries. We highlight the relevance of gender relations, recognizing that most of the activists are women immigrants, and the preponderance of mobilizations guided by a feminist agenda that demarcates actions related to the impeachment in Brazil.

Keywords

• communication
• brazilian immigration
• activism
• politics
• transnationality
• social networks