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The European Media Management Association Conference

Graham Goode, from the Advances in Media Management (AiMM) research cluster recently presented his doctoral research at the European Media Management Association conference in Ghent, Belgium. Under a conference theme of “collaboration in the value chain”, Graham presented data from a multi-year content analysis of strategic collaborations of UK broadcast, production and distribution organisations between 2010 and 2016. The findings show that equity participation, a form of collaboration, where one partner provides finance and expertise to gain access to the other partner’s capabilities in content, formats, talent, people and production facilities, accounted for a substantial and growing proportion of collaborations over the last three years, replacing acquisitions, as the here-to (since 2010) main form of collaboration.

Biodiversity on Talbot Campus

Knowledge Exchange, Student Engagement

The NUS Green impact Bee Friendly event was held in the fusion building on the 16th May showcasing what BU is researching and implementing for biodiversity on Talbot campus. The event had a strong emphasis on pollinators and as a community we have realised 17 new bee hotels and over 100m2 of wild flowers to improve our homes and campus for a wider diversity of bees.

Top James Appleby and Dr Liz Franklin – Emma and Isatu Placement students from Poole college not in shot Bottom the edible herbs in planters on campus (see Campus Biodiversity Map)

The event showcased the work of the Co-creative Student Environment Research Teams (SERTS) for biodiversity on Talbot campus including: James Appleby that is leading the Bee Zoopla SERT for making better bee homes and raising awareness of solitary bees and the Campus Bulbs SERT planting and monitoring the success of bulbs on campus. For more information see the hyperlinks within.


Top James and bottom the Campus Bulbs team Dr Anita Diaz, Alessandra, Amy, James, Ellie, Cara, Jake, Leon and Damian Evans

During the event there was a great deal of knowledge exchange about campus biodiversity with the University community being made aware of the bird boxes, bat boxes, bee hotels, wildflowers, bulb planting, edible herbs and fruit trees on campus. The handy link below takes you to a PDF of the campus biodiversity map if you missed the event.

Campus Biodiversity Map

Newton Fund latest calls

Funding opportunities, international

The British Council have announced that the latest calls available under the Newton Fund are now open or forthcoming:

 

6 September 2017 12pm BST NEW! MALAYSIA – UK-Malaysia Urban Innovation Challenge (Innovate UK)
APPLICATIONS ON A ROLLING BASIS TURKEY – Fellowships for UK Researchers (British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society)
Forthcoming FORTHCOMING: CHINA – UK-China Joint Research and Innovation Partnership Fund PhD Placement Programme (British Council)
Forthcoming FORTHCOMING: INDIA – Bio-technological solutions for reducing industrial waste (BBSRC, EPSRC)
Forthcoming FORTHCOMING: CHINA – UK-China Agri-Tech (BBSRC)
Forthcoming FORTHCOMING: INDIA – Ganga Delta – Bay of Bengal Interactions (NERC)
Forthcoming FORTHCOMING: INDONESIA – Wallacea understanding biodiversity and evolutionary responses to environmental change (NERC)
Forthcoming FORTHCOMING: SOUTH EAST ASIA – Increasing resilience to hydrometeorological hazards (NERC)

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If you are interested in applying to any of these calls then please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer, in the first instance.

The importance of writing a good grant application

Everyone knows how important it is to write a good grant application – if you’re not submitting the best grant application you can, you won’t be in the running to win the money. But how do you write the best application to stand you out from the crowd?

To find out come to the Grants Workshop on 1st June!

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are hosting a Grants Workshop and follow-up Bid Writing Retreat.

This two day event will combine advice and guidance on writing grant applications, and will be delivered by external bid writing experts ThinkWrite.

Day one (Thursday, 1st June 2017) will comprise of a grants workshop which will give participants the opportunity to expand their ideas on available funding sources, and investigate what funders want to achieve when they hand over money. Participants will then develop a strategic approach to writing applications.

Day two (Thursday, 29th June 2017) will consist of a follow-up bid writing retreat, where one-to-one support will be available to develop applications for funding.

All academics and researchers are welcome to attend.  Participants can attend either day, but must have a funding application they plan to submit within 12 months. The application can be to any funder.

Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. For more information and to book your space please see the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For any other queries please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

BU rises 18 places in Guardian University Guide 2018

Bournemouth University has risen 18 places in the Guardian University Guide 2018.The rise – up to 61st in the league table rankings from 79th the previous year – follows similar accolades for the university this year, such as the THE Young University Rankings, where BU also ranks among the top 200 universities in the world.

Professor John Vinney, Vice-Chancellor of Bournemouth University said, “We are delighted to see a rise in the latest Guardian University Guide, reflection for the work put in by our excellent staff over the past 12 months.

“This accolade, along with other recent rises, really underlines the quality of our teaching, research and links with businesses, all of which come together to offer an excellent student experience at BU.”

In the Guardian University Guide 2018 BU was shown to be fifth in the UK for the value that it adds to its degrees, one measure used to calculate a university’s overall score.

One such way that the university adds value for students is through its placement offer, with BU currently boasting more students on a work placement as a part of their degree than any other university in Great Britain (according to HESA data from 2015).

BU is also celebrating success in other university rankings; BU rose 20 places in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2017. In the same survey, BU was also rated among the top 20 universities in the UK for its links with industry.

In recent months BU has also risen 20 places in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017.

The Guardian University Guide 2018 can be viewed in full on the Guardian website.

RKEDF – Working with Business Pathway – Influencing and Persuading

Business Engagement, Fusion, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are hosting a one-day workshop for academics who are interested in working with business audiences.

Held off-site in Bournemouth from 9am-4.30pm on Thursday 22nd June, this workshop aims to focus on developing your personal skills where key learning outcomes are: communication, persuasion, influence and engaging with business.

This workshop is ideal for academics who wish to work with industry on projects such as contract research or KTP.

To find out more, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) on 01202 961347 or email clarker@bournemouth.ac.uk

To book your place, please email od@bournemouth.ac.uk

NIHR – Become a reviewer

How do I become a NIHR reviewer?

  • To comment using your professional experience apply here.
  • To comment from your experience as a patient, carer, or member of the public apply here.

Why review for the NIHR?

Professional development. Reviewing research briefs, proposals and final reports can be used as evidence of continuing professional development (CPD). Where appropriate, NIHR provide written confirmation of reviewing tasks that have been completed for inclusion in your CPD portfolio. For consultant grade medical reviewers, there is the additional attraction that peer review for NIHR is recognised in Clinical Excellence Award submissions.

Insight into the research funding process. By becoming an NIHR reviewer, you can develop a valuable insight into health research need in the NHS and the standards of successful applications for funding. NIHR only fund research of the highest scientific standard, so you can increase your insight into best practice in health research.

Make a difference. As a reviewer you can make a significant contribution to the NHS and public health by shaping research and improving practice. NIHR programmes identify the highest impact questions for UK health, so that you know the research you’re reviewing will make a real difference.

What do reviewers do?

Reviewers help the NIHR at every stage of the research process.

By identifying research topics, ensuring NIHR fund the best applications and helping to shape their open access reports published by the NIHR Journals Library, reviewers play a vital part in maintaining and improving the quality of our research.

NIHR need a wide range of expertise:

  • Academics
  • Clinicians
  • Health service managers and clinicians
  • Practitioners
  • Public health and related professionals
  • Social care sector workers
  • Patients and the Public
  • Anyone whose work has a potential impact on health.

You could play a vital part in maintaining and improving the quality of the research NIHR fund and publish.

NIHR – mental health advisor required for panel

Guidance

The NIHRs  Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme is seeking to appoint a member of the Mental, Psychological and Occupational Health (MPOH) advisory panel, one of the five Topic Identification, Development and Evaluation (TIDE) panels. These panels advise on the research agenda for the HTA programme based on the needs of the NHS. This opportunity is for a commissioner with a mental health background.

The MPOH panel focuses on therapies relating to mental health and psychological disorders at all ages including diagnosis of mental illness or cognitive deficits and learning difficulty, as well as therapies used in any aspect of occupational health.

The term of office is four years starting in May 2017. Travel and expenses will be paid.

If you have any questions about this opportunity please contact Emma Catlin at emma.catlin@nihr.ac.uk.

You will find advice on how to apply in the specification document, as well as a link to the application form and optional equal opportunities form at the top of the advisory group opportunities page.

NERC Science Board – membership vacancies

Guidance

NERC is inviting applications from across the NERC science remit to join its key scientific advisory board, the Science Board (SB). NERC is seeking to recruit for up to three vacancies, to commence appointment in October 2017. SB is the key source of advice to NERC Council on science related issues.

For further information about SB and what is required to be a member, please see the document below.

Member profile and attributes (PDF, 72KB)

Further information and details of how to apply are available at: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/about/organisation/boards/science/nomination/

The closing date for applications is noon on Friday 16 June 2017.

Interviews will be held in London on Tuesday 25 July 2017.

Photo of the Week: The ORI Gait Lab

The ORI Gait LabThe ORI Gait Lab

Our next instalment of the ‘Photo of the Week’ series features Shayan Bahadori’s image of the ORI Gait lab. The series is a weekly instalment which features an image taken by our fantastic BU staff and students. The photos give a glimpse into some of the fascinating work our researchers have been doing across BU and the wider community.

Shayan is part of the Orthopaedic Research Institute (ORI) which is made up of a team of BU professionals who carry out world-leading research into Orthopaedics.

The ORI Gait lab is a world-class facility utilising the Motekforce Link GRAIL system that uses an instrumented dual-belt treadmill, Vicon motion-capture system and synchronized virtual reality environment next to three video cameras and electromyography. This is the best available equipment on the market and one of only 23 GRAIL systems in the world. At ORI we use the GRAIL to analyse function and malfunction of the hip and knee joint. Our research aim is to establish a database of normal hip and knee joint functioning, which can be used as a reference to identify abnormalities of joint function in people with hip and knee pathology.

If you’d like find out more about the research or the photo itself then please contact Shayan.

This photo was originally an entry to the 2017 Research Photography Competition. If you have any other questions about the Photo of the Week series or the competition please email research@bournemouth.ac.uk

RKEDF – Working with Business Pathway – Engaging with a Business Audience: Communication and Networking

Fusion, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

The Research and Knowledge Exchange Office, together with the Service Excellence team,  have put together a half-day development event for academic colleagues who wish to engage with organisations.

This activity takes place daily across the Institution, however if you are interested in learning about how to communicate and network with a business audience including developing relationships, this half-day development event will provide you with tools to

Refreshments and lunch is included.

Venue: Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

Date: Thursday 1st June

Time: 9am-1pm

For further information, please contact Rachel Clarke, Knowledge Exchange Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) on 61347 or email clarker@bournemouth.ac.uk  

To book your space, please contact od@bournemouth.ac.uk 

FMC Faculty Research Seminar Series 2016-17

Faculty of Media and Communication

Faculty Research Seminar Series 2016-17

May at a Glance

A Conflict, Rule of Law and Society

Research Seminar

Venue: F309, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB

 Wednesday 17 May 2017 at 3pm

 CRoLS

Welcomes:

Mark “Max” Maxwell

Deputy Legal Counsel – U.S. Africa Command

Modern conflict and the rules of engagement: the changing individual right of a soldier’s right of self defence today

The term self-defense is used in a multitude of ways that do not accurately convey what occurs at the moment of decision. My discussion will advance that the term self-defense has three dimensions — scope, context, and level — and each one molds and defines what is meant by self-defense. Self-defense has a ‘scope’ component: it is a concept that can apply to an individual, to another person, to an armed unit, to a collection of designated people, to a foreign force, and even to non-state actors. It also has a ‘context’ component: on the one side you have the military context and its application is for the soldier engaged in operations ranging from peacetime operations, to peacekeeping missions or to armed conflict in both international and non-international scenarios. The other side of the equation is the domestic context with application to police officers in law enforcement scenarios or even the exercise of self-defense by an individual citizen. Finally, self-defense has a ‘level’ facet: self-defense on an individual or tactical level is profoundly different from strategic actions with international import. The word self-defense loses its meaning when there is a lack of precision as to what force is allowed in a particular scenario; this is particularly true when there are other legitimate uses of force at play. For example, if a soldier encounters a civilian taking direct participation in hostilities (DPH), what is the relationship between the use of force under self-defense and the use of force under the concept of DPH? And why is that important; in other words, what is the significance of the legal basis of force?

My discussion will define self-defense according to the various situations in which it is exercised; for example, is the exercise of self-defense by a soldier in a peacekeeping operation distinct from that exercised by a police officer on the beat in Boston? The key factor in all definitions (and the facets listed above) of self-defense is whether the threat is imminent; that is, what is the trigger point for the use of force. In the end, it is an inherently subjective test. It is important to probe the elements of what is the inalienable core of self-defense. Can, for example, self-defense be suspended? There are many positivist definitions of self-defense but is the core of self-defense a product of natural law? If so, what are the legal interpretations of the limits of this authority, and overlying the legal analysis, the policy interpretations of what constitutes self-defense and when it will be applied? My perspective will be inevitably United States centric, but the intent is for the audience to appreciate the multitude of meanings in one phrase: self-defense. And, as a corollary, I will propose terminology that can be applied to discrete situations instead of using an overused term. When force is required, from defending oneself to defending the nation, lingual precision is not a luxury, it is a requirement.

As of July 2015, Max Maxwell became the Deputy Legal Counsel for U.S Africa Command. Until he retired from the U.S. Army after 25 years of service, Max was a member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. He ended his military career as the first Strategic Initiatives Officer for the JAG Corps. Previously, from July 2011 to July 2013, Max was the Staff Judge Advocate for V Corps and concurrently, while deployed to Afghanistan from June 2012 to May 2013, was the Senior Legal Advisor for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force Joint Command.

Max considers North Carolina home, where he grew up in the Tidewater area. He attended undergraduate at Duke University, majoring in economics and history. While at Duke, Max was an ROTC cadet and upon graduation received his commission as an officer. He then attended law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served on the Board of Editors of the North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation. He graduated from Chapel Hill in 1990 and entered the active component of the U.S. Army as a Judge Advocate.

Max is a graduate of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in 1999 (LL.M. and Commandant’s List); U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 2004 (Distinguished Graduate); and the National War College in 2011 (M.A. and Distinguished Graduate). Max has published over a dozen articles and book chapters on various topics to include criminal law, the law of armed conflict, and the use of force in non-international armed conflict.

He is married to Mary and they share of love of reading, art and travel, and most of all, our 15-year old son who is a fan of reading, as well, and anything related to Pokémon and Minecraft.

 

A

Centre for Politics and Media Research

Seminar

Venue: F309, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB

Wednesday 24 May 2017 at 3pm

 Politics

Welcomes:

 

Prof James Martin – Goldsmiths, University of London

The Force of the Bitter Argument

James Martin is professor of politics at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a political theorist with an interest in rhetoric and psychoanalysis. He has published on these topics but also on Gramsci and other figures in Italian political theory and post-Marxist thought. He is author of a number of books, including Gramsci’s Political Analysis, Third Way Discourse, and Politics and Rhetoric. He is convenor of the PSA specialist group in Rhetoric and Politics and is co-editor of the Palgrave journal, Contemporary Political Theory. He is currently working on a book titled The Psychopolitics of Speech.

A

Centre for Politics and Media Research

Seminar

Venue: F309, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB

Wednesday 24 May 2017 at 4pm

 Politics

Welcomes:

 

Paul Reilly – University of Sheffield

Social media and contentious parades in divided societies: Tweeting the 2014 and 2015 Ardoyne parade disputes

 To what extent do social media facilitate debate between Catholics and Protestants about contentious parades and protests in post-conflict Northern Ireland? Do these ‘affective publics’ tend to escalate or de-escalate the tensions caused by these events? This paper addsresses these issues through a qualitative study of how citizens used Twitter in response to contentious Orange Order parades in the Ardoyne district of North Belfast in 2014 and 2015. Twitter provided a platform for ‘affective publics’ who expressed a myriad of sentiments towards the Orange Order, in addition to the residents who opposed the loyalist parade passing the predominantly nationalist area. This study focused on the extent to which these tweeters appeared to use the site to prevent a recurrence of the sectarian violence that followed the parade in previous years. A critical thematic analysis of 7388 #Ardoyne tweets, collected in July 2014 and July 2015, was conducted in order to investigate these issues. Results indicate that Twitter’s greatest contribution to peacebuilding may lie in its empowerment of citizens to correct rumours and disinformation that have the potential to generate sectarian violence. However, the site does not appear to function as a shared space in which cross-community consensus on contentious issues such as Ardoyne parade can be fostered.

Paul Reilly is Senior Lecturer in Social Media & Digital Society in the Information School at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the study of online political communication, with a focus on three key areas: (1) the use of social media by citizens to create and share acts of sousveillance (inverse surveillance); (2) the ways in which digital media can be used to crowdsource crisis information; and (3) the use of new media to reduce sectarian tensions and promote better community relations in divided societies such as Northern Ireland. He has published one monograph on the role of the internet in conflict transformation in Northern Ireland (Framing the Troubles Online: Northern Irish Groups and Website Strategy, Manchester University Press 2011) and has published articles in a number of journals including First Monday, Information, Communication & Society, New Media & Society, Policy and Internet and Urban Studies. His most recent research projects include a British Academy funded study of YouTube footage of the union flag protests in Northern Ireland, a study of how social media is used by first responders during crisis situations funded by the EU 7th Framework Programme for Research (FP7) and a Horizon 2020 funded study of how social media can be used to build community resilience against disasters.

A Promotional Cultures and Communication Centre

Research Seminar

Venue: F309, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB

Wednesday 31 May 2017 at 3pm

PCCC

Welcomes:

 

Andrea Esser –  Roehampton University

The Quiet Revolution: From Broadcasting and Advertising to Branded Entertainment

Efforts to endear brands to consumers go back as far as the 1920s, when branded entertainment was widespread on US radio and later television. In the UK advertiser-funded programming has no history. The public-service broadcasting remit demanded a clear separation between advertising and editorial content. But recent years have opened the doors to branded entertainment. The unregulated on-line mediascape offers endless possibilities and British broadcast legislation was revised in 2011 to allow for product placement. Building on an extensive analysis of trade journal articles since 2011, this paper seeks to illuminate recent developments and to build a theoretical framework by identifying drivers and tokens of change and different types of TV-related branded entertainment. History, I will argue, has left its mark. British broadcasters and TV producers seem to have been reluctant to embrace branded entertainment. But traditional content providers, like advertisers cannot escape the consequences of digitalization. Branded entertainment in multiple forms is revolutionising both marketing and the production and delivery of audiovisual content.

All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you there!

About the series

This new seminar series showcases current research across different disciplines and approaches within the Faculty of Media and Communication at BU. The research seminars include invited speakers in the fields of journalism, politics, narrative studies, literature, media, communication and marketing studies.  The aim is to celebrate the diversity of research across departments in the faculty and also generate dialogue and discussion between those areas of research.

Contributions include speakers on behalf of 

The Centre for Politics and Media Research

Promotional Cultures and Communication Centre

Centre for Public Relations Research and Professional Practice

Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community (JRG/NRG/Civic Media)

Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management

Conflict, Rule of Law and Society

EMERGE

Centre for Film and Television

Scientist James Lovelock visits BU’s Faculty of Science & Technology

Bournemouth University was privileged to host a Q & A session with James Lovelock, who spoke to a packed lecture theatre where he delighted an audience of students, academics, university staff and local environmental practioners with insights into his life and career as a scientist.

James Lovelock CH CBE FRS is an inventor, an environmentalist, futurist and above all, one of the most influential scientists of our time. James has worked for the Medical Research Council, NASA, Harvard and Yale Universities, but is best known as an independent scientist. James’ many achievements have had a profound effect on our understanding of environment. He developed the electron capture device, which has transformed trace analysis and resulted in being able to demonstrate that CFCs were not being broken down in the environment. This led to the discovery that these chemicals were depleting the ozone layer. However, James is best known for his Gaia theory, which states that the Earth is a self-regulating living-being. This theory has and a profound effect on how we view our plant and has influenced environmental policy at an international level for decades.

Questions were plentiful and James was able to give is views and share anecdotes on a variety of subjects, ranging from where he gained inspiration for the Gaia theory to the future of nuclear energy, the possibilities of cryogenics to life on other planets. The whole audience was captivated by this exceptionally inspiring scientist and after the session James kindly spent time talking to students and signing books.

Many thanks to James for taking the time to visit us! Thanks also to Dr Iain Green and Dr David Foulger for organising such a rare treat and also to those who participated in the session making it a truly memorable occasion.

Ayesha Pyke

After the Olympics: stories from Rio’s sex workers

Knowledge Exchange

Amanda De Lisio, Bournemouth University and Michael Silk, Bournemouth University, write for the Conversation.

The vibrant city of Rio de Janiero has played host to some of the world’s best parties – from Carnival, to the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Authorities have spent billions to ready the city, and each time tourists flocked in, local businesses braced for a bumper season. But these high expectations weren’t limited to legal businesses: those working within Rio’s semi-legal, underground economies thought they would benefit too. The Conversation

Nowhere is this clearer than in Centro, the downtown area of Rio, tucked in the shadow of the newly-constructed Olympic Boulevard. Once home to the historic red light district, Centro has since become the beating heart of big business, with towering office blocks bearing the names of major corporations such as Petrobras, BG, Total, Chevron, Electrobras, BNDES and Vale.

And yet, a closer look at the shop fronts suggests the presence of another kind of commerce. Here, the “termas” – saunas, complete with bar and discotheque – can be spotted near the brothels and love hotels, alongside the “privés” – massage parlours operating in rented, high-rise apartment space – that comprise the infamous commercial sex industry of Brazil. In reality, the seemingly demure finance district of the nation’s former capital has never ceased to be a hub for commercial sex.

A hidden venture.
Amanda De Lisio, Bournemouth University, Author provided

The Rose Without Thorn is nestled in a quiet lane, not far from the Saara – a street market that is usually crammed with pedestrians. It was built in 2010, shortly after Rio won the bid for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in 2007, and the bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics in 2009. As an illegal brothel operating within the financial district, it survived, even thrived, alongside the decade-long Olympic facelift. It was here that we – an international research collective, partnered with Observatório da Prostituição (Prostitution Policy Watch) – came to understand the impact of event-led urban reform on Rio’s sex workers.

Rose Without Thorn

From the outside, the house has a nondescript colonial façade. But the music, which ricochets down the narrow staircase entrance and into the street, hints at something more. Inside, working-class men perch on stools, often alone with chopp (Brazilian draft beer) in hand, while women move throughout the house in barely-there lingerie and high-heeled shoes.

One of these women is Thayna (this is her “nome da batalha”, her “battle” or work name), who has worked in the house since the age of 21. Now 24, her work is the sole source of income for her and her two children. As Pedro the manager says: “She is the breadwinner for her family, if she does not work, they do not eat”.

Behind closed doors.
Amanda De Lisio, Bournemouth University

In Brazil, sex work has forever existed as a semi-legal, entrepreneurial pursuit for those in search of financial stability and social security. The profession is officially recognised by the Brazilian Ministry of Labour and Employment’s classification of occupations, which can guarantee certain social securities to those registered as a “profissionais do sexo” (sex professionals). Although the adult, consensual exchange of sex for money has never been criminalised, “houses of prostitution” are still considered illegal.

As such, places such as Rose Without Thorn operate at the discretion of law enforcement and a local elite. As Rafael, a civil servant, explained: “Prostitution in Rio de Janeiro has never occurred without the involvement of police.”

Inside the cubicle-sized office space on the third floor of the brothel, the bass of the funk music is muffled by chatter. Each “programa” (a private session) is recorded in a notebook (35 a page) by a madam perched at a desk, near the top stair. On the Thursday before carnival, she had filled a page and a half by two o’clock in the afternoon, and was hopeful for at least five more.

Post-Olympic crisis

At the time, Brazil was named as the first Latin American host of an internationally-recognised sporting mega-event, and it was on the brink of economic boom. The Lula oil field (formerly, Tupi old field) was found in 2006, off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, and with it came the promise of economic prosperity. But the nation continued to rely upon the export of raw material commodities – a temporary solution, much like the sporting mega-event – instead of establishing a more sustainable, internal economy.

The ongoing Petrobras corruption scandal deflated political-economic optimism for the future, and by 2016, the state government of Rio de Janeiro was paralysed with possibly its worst recession in history. Amid halted salaries, political tumult and severe economic debt, the promise of the boom has since been long lost.

Military police on patrol outside an Olympic venue in Copacabana, near a major prostitution zone.
Amanda De Lisio, Bournemouth University

But people still need to earn to survive, and for some, sex work serves as a viable option for survival. And so, the economies and social networks created around commercial sex have so far survived the fall. As Simone, 54, widower, mother of five, and madam of the house expressed: “We are family too. We live together everyday. I live more with them than my own children.” She is proud yet honest about business, during this tense time:

Rose Without Thorn is famous. It is not very fancy but it is certainly well known. It is the heart of downtown! But after the [Olympic] Games, even we started to feel the crisis. No one has the money to come like before.

Before the bust, the Olympic Games was a highly anticipated business opportunity in Brazil – a time for entrepreneurial creativity and innovation. Yet many of the sex workers who anxiously awaited the boon from foreign clientele found that it did not materialise. Only a few benefited financially from the event, while well-intentioned campaigns urged authorities to crack down on “sex tourism”. The Rose Without Thorn’s manager Pedro said:

Listen, it is an illusion that FIFA or the Olympics are good for business. This is a myth. Some of the biggest [sex-related] businesses in Ipanema went bankrupt during the games. And now it is worse. The economy is a mess, so too is the government. And it all started around the games. The Olympics did not improve the situation. It only furthered the fall.

Don’t believe the hype.
Amanda De Lisio, Bournemouth University

Instead, what surfaced was a heightened security presence in the street, provided in part by Centro Presente – a quasi-public police force, partially funded by the local commercial and business association. Thayna explained:

Look, it was good. The city was beautiful. The party was fun. I really liked that Centro Presente provided more security in the street. But business here was not great. I expected more. I prepared for more. A lot of money was spent in a city where too many people starve. I work today to give my children a better future, not to leave my daughter in public school. Healthcare is the same. I pay for education and health insurance otherwise my daughter would be without them. To spend our money on tourist fun is hypocrisy.

During the mid-afternoon lull, Thayna ate her lunch on a twin bed. As she kicked through white rice in the foil container in search of another cut of red meat, she was bored with Olympic talk, and excited about the post-carnival time. It was the first week of the unofficial Brazilian new year, and she wanted to see her brothel with a queue. She was confident that, amid Olympic dust and carnival debris, the political-economic crisis that devalued urban land and stunted police salaries will only further cement the presence of sex workers within the city’s financial core.

Names and places have been changed to protect anonymity. The authors would like to especially acknowledge the insightful contributions of Thaddeus Blanchette (Professor, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro/Observatório da Prostituição), Thayane Brêtas (Research Affiliate, Observatório da Prostituição), and João Gabriel R. Sodré (Civil Servant, Defensoria Pública do Estado do Rio de Janeiro).

Amanda De Lisio, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant, Bournemouth University and Michael Silk, Professor of Sport and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.