Tade Rücker

For my doctoral project, I am investigating how water and wastewater infrastructures are shaping urban growth on the outskirts of the São Paulo metropolitan area. I am paying particular attention to two different types of settlements, the first being land occupations on the edge of the city, which are frequently organised by political collectives such as urban social movements and often involve the communal establishment of public facilities and the protection of ecological interests. The others are irregular settlements that usually develop gradually and "spontaneously" as a result of informal land parcelling, often initiated by illegal organisations.

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Local water infrastructure

I have been carrying out field research in both kinds of peripheral urban space and interviewing various stakeholders in order to analyse the dynamics between residents, local authorities and private commercial interests. Financial developments and stakeholders have been playing an important part in the legalisation of previously irregular water networks ever since the ongoing privatisation of the water sector first got under way (in Brazil, an informal water connection, known as a gato, is created when residents set up a direct connection with the public water network without official permission).

This focus on infrastructure allows me to observe urbanisation processes in Brazil on both macro and micro levels. One important part of my work is to identify the different power dynamics at play when a city takes shape. The funding provided by the DAAD-Stiftung has allowed me to spend another period carrying out research in Brazil, for which I am very grateful.

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Meeting

While visiting the land occupations and irregular settlements on the outskirts of the city, I interviewed representatives of neighbourhood associations and social movements. Although I had prepared a list of interview questions beforehand, this usually served only as a rough guideline, since the conversations often developed quite spontaneously. I also conducted go-along interviews on my travels through the settlements; most of these focused on water and wastewater infrastructures.

Moreover, I took part in meetings and events and held informal conversations at mutirão, community projects in which residents work to improve the neighbourhood, or over cafézinho, a sweet, very hot coffee which is drunk at any time of day and often offers a chance for a quick chat. The conversations with representatives of local authorities, NGOs, social movements and the financial sector largely consisted of guideline-supported interviews with experts.

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Self-built settlement in São Paulos north-west

However, the most interesting information was often gleaned during informal chats before the interview took place or after the recording had ended. Examples included tip-offs about shady political decisions, suspected corruption and the influence of criminal organisations. Over the two months of the scholarship, I conducted 16 interviews with experts (each lasting one to two hours) and six go-along interviews, besides attending around ten neighbourhood meetings and other events. I discovered that every bit of fieldwork and every interview was relevant, since deeper insights often only emerged when they were considered in combination with other pieces of information.

The results were recorded in field diaries, ethnographic notes and interview transcripts. I will spend the next few months viewing, coding and analysing this material. Afterwards, I will fit the results into my theoretical conceptual framework before I finally get down to writing my thesis in Germany.

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Communal garden

The experiences I had there were hugely rewarding for me, both academically and personally. My visits to land occupations and irregular settlements gave me valuable insights into the everyday realities of people living in São Paulo's urban fringes.

I was impressed not only by the residents' tireless efforts to improve the infrastructure in their neighbourhoods, but also by the constant negotiations taking place within the community and with government bodies and infrastructure companies. These negotiations were conducted partly through formal channels and partly through informal ones. It turned out that in Brazil too, many processes are tangled up in red tape and require the involvement of various government and non-government organisations – for example when trying to secure access to basic infrastructure such as electricity and water.

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Jaragua

However, informal practices also play an important role: conversations with employees of supply companies, local protests outside government offices and direct contact with politicians who include infrastructural measures in their election promises are all part of everyday political negotiations. Empirical research in unfamiliar contexts requires flexibility and the ability to adjust spontaneously to new circumstances. Sometimes things don't work out – an interview partner cancels at the last minute, or there's no time for a discussion because the wastewater system needs repairing.

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São Paolo city centre

This research stay also gave me the chance to deepen academic and personal contacts from earlier visits. One of my most rewarding experiences was taking part in the weekly meetings held by the research group LIMIARES (Limites da Acumulação e Reprodução do Espaço), during which we discussed a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches. The core of the group consisted of around 20 people, most of whom were studying for Master's or doctoral degrees.

Research groups like these are key elements of the academic work carried out at Brazilian universities such as USP: students and researchers work in close cooperation under the guidance of professors to explore current social issues. Exchanging ideas with members of the human geography institute gave me valuable insights into theoretical discourse and Brazilian research practice. I also worked with colleagues to organise fieldwork and initiate the first publication projects. Political discussions often continued in the botecos of Butantã after the meetings were over.

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Soccer match

However, I also learnt a lot about culture and society from many of my friends and acquaintances in São Paulo. The majority of my contacts were Brazilians, with whom I mainly spoke Portuguese. This considerably improved my language skills and allowed me to pick up everyday expressions and regional dialect. Conversations about colonial history, urban development, military dictatorship and politics, or even about music, eating habits and social customs – all these experiences broadened my perspective.

Urban geographical research doesn't stop at your desk – it also takes place in everyday life, often without you being aware of it. I hope to stay in touch with my contacts in Brazil and that they will be able to visit me in Germany one day so that I can give them a glimpse of everyday life here.

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Nightlife in São Paulo

Thanks to my friends in São Paulo, I was soon able to find accommodation for the duration of my visit and was drawn into all kinds of leisure activities. During my stay, I rented a room in a shared apartment in the Barra Funda district, not far from central São Paulo. Barra Funda is traditionally a working-class neighbourhood that in recent years has been attracting more and more new residents. Along with car repair shops and small factories, the area is now also home to interesting bars, restaurants and craft shops, all of which give the district a unique charm. My room in the shared apartment cost around 250 euros a month; I shared the kitchen, living room and balcony with my flatmates. Living with the others turned out to be quite straightforward, and I soon settled into the neighbourhood. I particularly enjoyed the relaxed contact with the neighbours, shopkeepers and waiters in our street – brief chats soon became a normal part of my everyday routine.

The possibilities in São Paulo are almost endless, ranging from restaurants, bars, museums and galleries to sports, not to mention the innumerable samba parties and live music events, both big and small. The cuisine in São Paulo reflects the city's rich migration history – and the sheer variety often makes it difficult to decide what to eat. Along with the traditional prato feitos (a protein such as beef or chicken with rice, beans, salad and fries), what I remember most are the more savoury flavours: a pastel at the weekly local market, the parmigiana at Lanchonete Jhony’s II, the lanche de pernil at Estadão, passandu at Leiteria Ita, hamburgers with pastrami fries at Z Deli, and the classic paulistana pizza – often with more cheese than dough.

And let's not forget the kilos, buffet restaurants at which what you pay depends on the weight of your plate. I also loved eating açaí, either as ice cream with fruit toppings and chocolate sauce in self-service shops like Best Açaí in Santa Cecília, or as a shake with mate at Imperador do Mate in the historic city centre. In Brazil, beer culture is even more ubiquitous than in Germany. I often met friends at Casa do Norte Luizão for a bem gelada, usually an Original or a Serra Malte, an ice-cold beer that comes in a 600 ml bottle and is served almost frozen in small copos americanos wrapped in a layer of insulation. However, São Paulo has also long since embraced the craft beer trend, for example at the Cervejaria Central.

The best samba and live music events in São Paulo often take place spontaneously in the open air – in public places, on street corners or in front of bars, usually at the weekend but sometimes also during the week. The really good musicians are often hired directly by the bars, and a crowd gathers around them in no time. The later the hour, the louder the singing – in Brazil, absolutely everyone seems to know every song. I particularly enjoyed Friday evenings in Largo de Santa Cecília; there was always a great atmosphere in the Futebol Pizza Bar, where I met friends, listened to live music – and from there often carried on into the night.

At the weekends, I liked to visit different exhibitions, for example at the Caixa Cultural, the Centro Cultural do Banco do Brasil or the Instituto Moreira Salles. I was also impressed by the city's wonderfully curated museums, among them the Museu Afro Brasil, the Pinacoteca de São Paulo, the USP's MAC and the Memorial da Resistência. I liked some of these places so much I went there several times. Entry fees were reduced for students – and you could even get in for free one day a week. The same applied to the classical music concerts held regularly on Sunday mornings in the magnificent Sala São Paulo.

Another memorable place for me was the Minhocão, an elevated expressway that cuts through the centre of São Paulo. During the week it’s packed with traffic, but in the evenings and at weekends it’s closed to cars and turns into a public space for walkers, cyclists, skaters and artists. I often went jogging there or just strolled along, soaking up the atmosphere and admiring the giant graffiti murals adorning the buildings.

One of the things I remember most is how friendly the people were. There was always time to strike up a conversation, even with a non-native speaker – in the bar, while out shopping or waiting for the bus.

The opportunity to deepen my research in São Paulo allowed me to access valuable academic knowledge while making friends and networking. My experiences in the land occupations, the conversations with activists and the city's vibrant culture expanded my horizons and contributed greatly to my personal growth.

I am especially grateful to the DAAD-Stiftung for the support they gave me with the Gustav Schübeck scholarship, and to all the people who helped and inspired me while I was in Brazil. These experiences have motivated me to continue my research, build bridges between theory and practice, and keep the exchange between Brazil and Germany alive.