The right to the city: theory and practice in Brazil

In Brazil, a country notorious for its spatially segregated, unequal cities, a 2001 federal law recognizes the "right to the city" and mandates participation in planning processes, aiming to achieve social justice. Planning theory has dealt extensively with the "right to the city", but critical examination of the implementation of this law-the Statute of the City-is lacking. Drawing on the ideals of Lefebvre and the global "right to the city" movement, I contribute to the theoretical debate on the right to the city, connecting this discussion to an analysis of the practice of applying this ideal in Brazil. I examine the challenges of implementing this innovative policy in Niteroi (Rio de Janeiro State), showing that a more nuanced approach is needed to understand Brazil's unique right to the city experience.