Dean Mimi Sheller to Give Keynote Address at the University of São Paulo School of Advanced Science in Mobilities: Memories & Futures

The fourth edition of the “SPMob2023” graduate school on mobilities will be held at the University of São Paulo (13-15 June) and at the Federal University of the State of Rio (19-21 June), in Brazil. Keynote speakers will include WPI’s Dean of The Global School Mimi Sheller, PhD, a leading expert on mobility justice and sustainable mobility transitions; and Dr. Jennie Germann-Molz, professor of sociology from College of the Holy Cross, who is an expert on tourism and a former PhD student of Sheller.  

The São Paulo summer school offers stimulating theoretical and methodological debates from the perspective of mobilities, drawing participants from across the Americas. This year it will focus on disseminating the “mobilities turn” in social theory through the themes of “memories & futures.”  

Sheller will speak on Sustainable Mobility Futures. Sheller’s article ‘Theorising Mobility Justice/Teorizando sobre mobilidades justas’ was published in 2018 in the journal Tempo Social: Revista Sociologica da USP and has been widely discussed in Brazil. The future of mobility is linked to ideas of growth, prosperity and technological innovation on the one hand; but also, to challenges of climate change, uneven control over movement, and injustice on the other hand.  The program will explore the history of uneven mobilities and the movements for greater mobility justice and sustainable mobilities. 

Keynote speaker Walter Imilán (Universidad Central de Chile) will speak on indigenous territories and mobilities in Latin America. Sheller and Molz will also participate in a public roundtable discussion on tourism on June 14 at SESC Pinheiros (Social Service of Commerce), which is a private organization supported by entrepreneurs in businesses, tourism and services committed to social and cultural activities. 

A recording will be available on YouTube for future viewing.