New research program from the BRICS Policy Center/PUC-Rio: CURA

CURA is a research program dedicated to analyzing the role of culture and heritage in contemporary international relations, with a focus on perspectives from the Global South. The initiative investigates how symbolic productions, collective memories, and cultural assets function both as spaces of contention and as tools for dialogue, historical reparation, and the construction of shared futures.

Guided by the concept of restorative justice, the program seeks to understand how cultural processes and heritage policies can contribute to redressing past injustices and rebuilding social bonds. Furthermore, CURA highlights the importance of South-South cultural cooperation in rebalancing global power dynamics and narratives.

Among its main lines of research are: cultural flows and disputes in the Global South, South-South cultural cooperation, cultural diplomacy in BRICS, cultural policies for sustainable development, and the role of museums, archives, and public art in post-conflict reconciliation processes.

By positioning culture as a strategic field for diplomacy, citizenship, and the promotion of historical justice, CURA reinforces its transformative potential in building a more inclusive global order.