Abstract

CHAVES, Henrique; PONTES, Bruna França de  and  RUNKEL, Maria Cardoso. Bicycles, Media and Democracy in The City: Interview with Renata Falzoni. SOCIOLOGIA ON LINE [online]. 2020, n.23, pp.117-132.  Epub Jan 11, 2022. ISSN 1647-3337.  https://doi.org/10.30553/sociologiaonline.2020.23.6.

Renata Falzoni is a 66-year-old architect, urban planner, documentary filmmaker, journalist (bike and video reporter) and has been riding a bicycle for decades. In addition to constantly moving on two wheels, Renata is also a cycle activist and one of the pioneers in the valorization and defense of the use of the bicycle as a means of transport in Brazil. Her documentary “O Elo Perdido - O Brasil que Pedala’’ was screened in the second edition of the Urban Audiovisual Festival (UAF), which took place between the 28th and 30th of June 2019 at Biblioteca de Marvila (public library in Lisbon). This interview took place on the 1st of July 2019 as a follow up to the screening.

The bicycle was the guiding thread for the interview. It allowed us to talk about the city, public spaces, the media, democracy, gender, sports and social class, accessing the “backstage”, and unveiling different possible discussions. This was only possible due to the extensive and diverse activity that Renata developed from - and with - the bicycle. Namely, her activity in sports media, her activism and political activity towards smooth urban mobility. Recently, she has directed her efforts into documentary film-making and to the direction of her online platform “Bike é Legal”. This interview addresses a set of issues that are important for the sociological debate. Among these are the role of the media in the reproduction of certain social logics, the issue of public policies in the Brazilian urban context, the role of online communication platforms, the bicycle as a consumption product which can be understood as accessible and democratic, and the current challenges for Brazilian cities when faced with attacks on democracy.

This interview enabled us to reflect on how to live the city, adding new proposals to think and build more sustainable and democratic urban spaces for all.

Keywords : urban mobility; Brazil; gender; alternative media..

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