Coimbra has more charm without blood
1
SANGUE sem na despedida Coimbra ENCANTO tem mais das www.queimadasfarpas.pt [email protected] www.facebook.com/QueimadasFarpas twitter.com/queimadasfarpas petition: http://peticaopublica.com/pview.aspx?pi=QueimaDasFarpas It is well known that bullfighting uses all means to legitimize its existence, and the academic world is one of its favouri- te allies inasmuch as it provides the cultural capital it needs to ensure its survival in a world increasingly critical of violence. And this because university represents – or it should represent – new ways of thinking, a different way to see the world and to shape it into a more just and evolved future. The Portuguese legislation prohibits animal abuse, but exempts bullfighting, on the grounds of tradition. It should be the role of universities to question traditions, conventions, and propose alternative paths, promoting values such as justice, solidarity, respect and civic-mindedness, instead of a culture that ritualizes and glorifies exercises of dominance, subjugation and violence. In contemporary society, bullying is the most common form of violence. Quoting Hannah Arendt “The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.” Bearing in mind our responsibility both in the deconstruction of conventional structures of dominance and the construction of a more enlightened and just society, it is essential to eradicate the “garraiada” (a bullfight with calves instead of full-grown bulls) from academic festivities. The “Queima das Farpas” movement arises in this context, representing circa 80%* of students that don’t identify themselves with the “garraiada” but have conformed to it so far. Let Coimbra, the first national Capital of Culture (2003), be also the first city to abolish practices that cast a shadow in its nine centuries of History and in the University that prides itself in being one of the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. Coimbra has more charm without blood. Coimbra, 20th March, 2015 *data from the research “Culturas Juvenis e Participação Cívica: diferença, indiferença e novos desafios democráticos” coordinated by Elísio Estanque and Rui Bebiano, conducted at the Centre for Social Studies (University of Coimbra) between 2003 and 2006. Project financed by FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology/Ministry of Science and Higher Education (POCTI/SOC/45489/2002). Coimbra has more charm without blood University and bullfighting – a dangerous liaison
-
Upload
queima-das-farpas -
Category
Documents
-
view
3 -
download
0
description
Coimbra has more charm without blood.University and bullfighting – a dangerous liaison.Let Coimbra, the first national Capital of Culture (2003), be also the first city to abolish practices that cast a shadow in its nine centuries of History and in the University that prides itself in being one of the oldest and most prestigious in Europe.petition: http://peticaopublica.com/pview.aspx?pi=QueimaDasFarpas
Transcript of Coimbra has more charm without blood
-
SANGUEsem na
despedida
CoimbraENCANTOtem mais
das
www.facebook.com/QueimadasFarpastwitter.com/queimadasfarpas
petition: http://peticaopublica.com/pview.aspx?pi=QueimaDasFarpas
It is well known that bullghting uses all means to legitimize its existence, and the academic world is one of its favouri-te allies inasmuch as it provides the cultural capital it needs to ensure its survival in a world increasingly critical of violence. And this because university represents or it should represent new ways of thinking, a dierent way to see the world and to shape it into a more just and evolved future.
The Portuguese legislation prohibits animal abuse, but exempts bullghting, on the grounds of tradition. It should be the role of universities to question traditions, conventions, and propose alternative paths, promoting values such as justice, solidarity, respect and civic-mindedness, instead of a culture that ritualizes and glories exercises of dominance, subjugation and violence.
In contemporary society, bullying is the most common form of violence. Quoting Hannah Arendt The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.
Bearing in mind our responsibility both in the deconstruction of conventional structures of dominance and the construction of a more enlightened and just society, it is essential to eradicate the garraiada (a bullght with calves instead of full-grown bulls) from academic festivities.
The Queima das Farpas movement arises in this context, representing circa 80%* of students that dont identify themselves with the garraiada but have conformed to it so far.
Let Coimbra, the rst national Capital of Culture (2003), be also the rst city to abolish practices that cast a shadow in its nine centuries of History and in the University that prides itself in being one of the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. Coimbra has more charm without blood.
Coimbra, 20th March, 2015
*data from the research Culturas Juvenis e Participao Cvica: diferena, indiferena e novos desaos democrticos coordinated by Elsio Estanque and Rui Bebiano, conducted at the Centre for Social Studies (University of Coimbra) between 2003 and 2006. Project nanced by FCT Foundation for Science and Technology/Ministry of Science and Higher Education (POCTI/SOC/45489/2002).
Coimbra has more charm without bloodUniversity and bullghting a dangerous liaison
