Waste Pickers Movement and Right to the City: The Impacts in the Homeless Lives in Brazil

Abstract: This paper analysis the formation of the National Movement of Recyclable Waste Pickers (Movimento Nacional dos Catadores de Materiais Recicláveis: MNCR) in Brazil and of its impacts on the right of cities to the homeless people. We use the categories of analysis offered by the theory of frames, mixing this approach with critical theories in social analysis about public sphere, discussions about urban space and political culture in Brazil, trying to offer new insights to understand the citizenship of homeless people in the Brazilian cities. Qualitative research based on documentary analysis, observation and in-depth interviews was carried out. Empirical research aimed to identify the main actors involved, describing their constitution, how and why they were engaged in the construction of the rights. The main results show that the formation of MNCR identity passes through the affirmation of their social identity as citizens and workers by assigning a value to the solid waste, as they spontaneous created a “waste picking economy” in the urban space. This also led to direct their actions to the government seeking to ensure public policies aimed at their integration into the economic and social scenario. An amplification of frames occurred, connecting their struggles with the environmental concerns of civil society and some market actors.

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