Lula + 10: Achievements, directions and challenges of the social transformations in Brazil

Seminar to take stock of Brazil's development 10 years after the coming to power of Lula and PT, with André Singer, professor of political science at the University of São Paolo and author of a recent book on Lula and "lulism".

Ten years have passed since former metalworker and shoeshine-boy Luis Inácio "Lula" da Silva entered presidential power in Brazil. While initially provoking strong negative reactions from international investors as well as national economic elites, these ten years have been a period of unprecedented poverty reduction, strong economic growth, strengthened domestic democracy, bursting international investments and the rise of Brazil to a place among the major global political powers. Compared to other left-of-center reform projects, "Lulismo" in Brazil has also caused much less internal confrontations with political adversaries and economic elites. Yet it is the subject of criticism from environmental organizations, labor unions and other social movements, a criticism that has strengthened after the take-over by Lula's handpicked successor Dilma Rousseff in 2011.

What are the key features of "lulismo" and how has it changed over the course of the ten years?  How has its support-coalition changed and can it be sustained? What are the prospects of deepening the reforms to ensure a more equal society, while simultaneously strengthen the capacity of the state to manage further economic growth and investments?  And will the attraction of Brazil as a hotspot for Norwegian investments continue in the years to come?

André Vitor Singer is professor of political science of the University of São Paulo. He was Lula's press secretary (2003-2005) and spokesman of the Presidency (2005-2007) during the first Lula Government, and has previously been a journalist of the Folha do São Paolo. He is the author of the book: Os sentidos do Lulismo: reforma gradual e pacto conservador (Making sense of Lulism: gradual reform and a conservative pact, Companhia do Letras, 2012) and a number of articles on the ideology and policies of the Workers' Party and "lulismo", including A segunda alma do Partido dos Trabalhadores (The second soul of the Workers' Party, Novos Estudos CEBRAP, 2010) and  Raízes sociais e ideológicas do lulismo (Social and ideological roots of lulism, Novos Estudos CEBRAP,  2009).

Singer's lecture will be held in English and followed by questions and discussion. The discussion will be in Spanish. 

This seminar is organized by the Norwegian Latin America Research Network (NorLARNet).