Legal history meets carnival in Rio
Samba School makes the history of slavery the central theme of carnival
Legal history and the Rio carnival might seem worlds apart. Yet, this year the Portela Samba school seamlessly wove Rio's long-silenced slavery legacy together with the story of 19th-century lawyer Luiz Gama, whose work freeing hundreds of enslaved people is now being appreciated thanks to the research of mpilhlt scholar Bruno Lima.
Lima's studies reveal how deeply Gama's tactics for liberation were rooted in his reinterpretation of legal concepts and principles. Gama is worthy of attention, however, not only for his extraordinary life or his scholarly prowess exhibited in Brazilian legal circles and publications. Rather, his arguments beckon scrutiny from a global perspective, bridging his localised experiences with those of other Atlantic jurisdictions.
Read about the impact of Bruno Lima’s research: