Dr Francis Vinicius Portes Virginio

Research Associate

Work, Employment and Organisation

Personal statement

Francis Portes Virginio is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow working on his project ‘the Securitisation of Nature, Displacement and Unfree Labour in Brazil`s Amazon’ (2021-2024).

Prior to this position, Francis was a postdoctoral research associate in a participatory project funded by ESRC (2018-2021). His work examined the formation of southern corridors of migration in the Brazilian Amazonian region and the incorporation of migrant workers in need of Humanitarian protection into industries that are part of ‘sustainable development’ agendas.

Francis has research interests in the areas of political economy, global commodity chains, forced displacement, labour migration, slave labour and socio-environmental conflicts with a particular focus in Latin America.

He also values public engagement and community participation in research and decision-making process. He has worked closely with migrants, refugees and indigenous communities in Latin America, mediating conflict with governmental and non-governmental institutions.

Prizes and awards

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship: Recipient; 23/5/2021
Research Excellence Award - PhD Studentship: Recipient; 30/7/2014
ERASMUS MUNDUS - Studentship: Recipient; 28/5/2012

More prizes and awards

Qualifications

Francis holds a Ph.D. in Work, Employment and Organisation from the University of Strathclyde, a Double Master’s degree in Migration Studies and Conflict Mediation from KU Leuven (Belgium), and the University of Lille (France), and a BA in Psychology from the State University of São Paulo (Brazil).

Regional Expertise: Latin America

Country Expertise: Brazil

Languages: Portuguese (Native Speaker), English, French and Spanish.

Publications

Unfree labour on the Amazonian frontier : the problems and politics of post rescue solidarity: Virginio Francis, Garvey Brian, Leão Luis, Pistório Bianca; EADI ISS Conference 2021: Solidarity, Peace and Social Justice
(2021)
The authoritarian turn, humanitarian migration and super-exploitation in Brazil: Virginio Francis, Stewart Paul, Garvey Brian; European Sociology Conference - Barcelona (2021)
Covid-19 e a etapa das carpas : como a experiência dos venezuelanos em Roraima nos informa sobre o aprofundamento do neoliberalismo autoritário no Brasil: Stefano Daniela, Virginio Francis, Garvey Brian; Direitos Humanos no Brasil 2020 Relatório da Rede Social de Justiça e Direitos Humanos (2020) (2020)
A perfeita tempestade de precariedade : os novos imigrantes e a exploração do trabalho: Virginio Francis, Garvey Brian; Direitos Humanos No Brasil 2019 Relatório da Rede Social de Justiça e Direitos Humanos (2019) (2019)
The mythical shapeshifting of capital and petrification of labour : deepening conflict on the agrofuel frontier: Garvey Brian, Souza Edevaldo Aparecido, Rodrigues Mendonça Marcelo, dos Santos Crispim Valmir, Portes Virginio Francis Vinicius; Antipode Vol 51, pp. 1185-1209 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12541
The perforated borders of labour migration and the formal state : meta-state and para-state regulation: Virginio Francis Vinicius Portes, Garvey Brian, Stewart Paul; Employee Relations Vol 39, pp. 391-407 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-03-2016-0061

More publications

Professional activities

Precarious work, Precarious life: Unemployment and work in the context of neoliberalism (Training on Participatory Research Methods): Participant; 8/9/2021
FAO Food Summit Independent Dialogue: Defence of agrifood systems: Member of programme committee; 9/8/2021
Public Hearings with migrant representatives: Organiser; 2/3/2021
Public Hearings with migrant representatives: Organiser; 23/2/2021
Seminar about the rights of children and adolescents for migrant organisations: Organiser; 9/12/2020
Trainning For Multipliers: Organiser; 8/12/2020

More professional activities

Projects

Securitisation of Nature, Displacement and Unfree labour in Brazil's Amazon: Portes Virginio, Francis Vinicius (Principal Investigator); Leverhulme Early Career fellowship (ECF); 01-Jan-2021 - 30-Jan-2024
UKRI CoA Covid Extension: Garvey, Brian (Principal Investigator) Portes Virginio, Francis Vinicius (Researcher) Cardesa-Salzmann, Antonio (Researcher); UKRI sponsored extension of projects affected by Covid-19; 01-Jan-2021 - 30-Jan-2021
UKRI CoA Covid extension: Garvey, Brian (Principal Investigator) Portes Virginio, Francis Vinicius (Researcher); UKRI sponsored extension of projects affected by Covid-19; 01-Jan-2021 - 30-Jan-2021
So who is building sustainable development? Transforming exploitative labour along southern corridors of migration (ESRC Global Challenges): Portes Virginio, Francis Vinicius (Researcher) Garvey, Brian (Principal Investigator) Stewart, Paul (Co-investigator) Alves, José (Co-investigator); The participatory research aims to investigate and transform the increasingly widespread link between the concentration of migrants in need of humanitarian protection along migration corridors in the Brazilian Amazonia region; the requirement of large and flexible workforces for large infrastructure projects including construction and agribusiness; exploitative labour conditions in these industries that that are part of ‘sustainable development’ agendas. The project engages workers from Brazil, Haiti, Colombia, Venezuela, Senegal and various other African states in order to:
document the influence of formal and informal agents on the migrant workers' journey and employment
identify deficits in dignified work and social protection
Collectively propose transformative solutions via a range of media;
facilitate direct social dialogue between migrant workers, project partners and government, industrial, labour and non-profit agencies,at state, regional and national level; 03-Jan-2018 - 26-Jan-2021

More projects

Address

Work, Employment and Organisation
Duncan Wing

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