The Brazil center of IdA was officially inaugurated in November 2010. It is currently located in the Institute of Advanced Studies of the University of São Paulo. The Brazil center and the IEA collaborate closely in the organization of events and university projects which aim at exchange between Brazilian and French researchers and the promotion of their scientific knowledge.
Discover in 180 seconds the thesis of Hugues SAPIN, coordinator of the Brazil Center (2024-2027), PhD student at the Sorbonne Université (ED 434)
PhD dissertation topic : «Koreans from Brazil, Koreans in Brazil. Urban roots and migratory experiences of ancient urban communities recently reactivated by new international migrations » under the direction of Catherine FOURNET-GUERIN and Dominique VIDAL
Hugues Sapin's thesis focuses on the Korean presence in Brazil, with its strong geographical concentration in São Paulo and economic specialization in the garment industry. Indeed, the Coreano-brasileiros have been considered by scholars primarily for their involvement in the workshops of the Bom Retiro, and few studies have focused specifically on the spatial dimensions of this diaspora. What's more, over the last twenty years or so, as Brazil has taken on a new role in the international migration system, tens of thousands of South Koreans have settled there, in São Paulo of course, but not exclusively. The case of Piracicaba (São Paulo State) will also form part of this research project.
Approaching these phenomena through the migratory experience, as part of a geography of migration approach, will enable us to better understand the migratory trajectories of these Koreans. On the other hand, a comparative study in urban geography of the anchoring of the diasporic community in São Paulo, and that in formation in Piracicaba, notably through markings and visibilities in public space, will enable us to better apprehend these phenomena. This work also aims to analyze the hybrid uses and practices that non-Koreans make of spaces initially designed by and for the community, while Korean popular culture is in vogue (Hallyu).
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