The conversation focuses on Black Urbanities, contemporary urban theory, and the multiple experiences of urban life across different contexts of the Global South. Internationally recognized for his contributions to urban studies, Simone reflects on his intellectual trajectory, the development of his research on Black urbanities, and his recent experiences in Brazilian cities, particularly Salvador and São Paulo. The conversation explores themes such as endurance, inhabitable and uninhabitable urban conditions, artistic practices, forms of urban coexistence, and the challenges of approaching Blackness as a perspective for investigating contemporary urban processes.
The interview was conducted on September 22, 2025, at the Oswaldo Porchat Studio of the School of Philosophy, Languages and Literature, and Human Sciences (FFLCH-USP). It is part of a broader effort to document and disseminate international debates on urban theory, planetary perspectives, and Black urban experiences. This is the first interview with AbdouMaliq Simone conducted in Brazil and published simultaneously in Portuguese and English, with a subtitled video version. Participants
- AbdouMaliq Simone
- Fraya Frehse
- Laura Kemmer
- Carolina Moura Lima
Production Recording and editing: Otavio Silva de Oliveira (Oswaldo Porchat Studio – FFLCH-USP) Transcription, translation, and subtitling: Paulo Scarpa Technical review: Fraya Frehse and Laura Kemmer
Produced by School of Philosophy, Languages and Literature, and Human Sciences (FFLCH-USP)
Watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diJPdVdcE6g