Between on- and off-line activism: Busão da Comunidade conquers the urban space

Abstract

The adoption of digital activism by movements that discuss mobility issues in the periphery of cities seems to illustrate one of the roles played by technological innovation in the reconfiguration of urban spaces. This paper proposes the analysis of a movement for the implementation of a supplementary bus line – "Busão da Comunidade" – in Aglomerado da Serra, in the city of Belo Horizonte. The research investigated the relations between technology and issues concerning power and collective action. Data was collected through interviews with key players, which were analyzed together with posts on social media, the use of WhatsApp and electronic mail. We concluded that digital resources were important mainly for certain dimensions of mobilization and communication, rather than for a connective action, defined by the technological apparatus.