Os Deslocados: conceptualizing internal displacement in Brazil

Whilst Brazil experiences comparatively high rates of violence and massive development interventions in its cities and hinterland, the scale and dynamics of cross-border or internal displacement are virtually unknown. There is a sparse literature on cross-border migration, whether voluntary or forced. Even less is known about internal displacement. In order to fill this knowledge gap, this working paper introduces a simple typology conceptualizing internal displacement in Brazil. It detects a range of different – albeit interconnected – pathways to population displacement including violence, development and disaster. An underlying characteristic of displacement in Brazil, as elsewhere, is the relative levels of vulnerability. The paper also considers state and civil society responses and opportunities for scaling-up engagement.

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