Migrante surdo venezuelano em Manaus: desafios e relações de trabalho

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the migratory experience of Venezuelan deaf individuals living in Manaus, considering the social, cultural, linguistic, and labor dimensions that shape this process. Within the context of contemporary human mobility, the study examines the intensification of migration flows from Venezuela to Brazil, driven by a severe economic and social crisis that has led thousands of people to seek better living conditions. In this scenario, deaf individuals face specific challenges related to communication and social inclusion, highlighting the complexity of their trajectories. The research adopts a qualitative ethnographic approach, using semi-structured interviews and participant observation, involving four Venezuelan deaf participants residing in Manaus. Data analysis was conducted through qualitative coding procedures—open, axial, and selective—combined with the perspective of thick description, enabling the interpretation of cultural meanings present in the narratives. The findings indicate that migration is strongly associated with economic hardships in the country of origin, while the adaptation process in Brazil is marked by linguistic barriers arising from differences between Venezuelan Sign Language, Brazilian Sign Language, and written Portuguese. These barriers directly affect access to services, education, and employment, resulting in a condition of double exclusion. Labor market insertion emerges as a central element for survival and autonomy, although often characterized by instability and social vulnerability. In this context, support networks play a crucial role in adaptation and social integration. It is concluded that the migratory experience of Venezuelan deaf individuals is a complex process that goes beyond geographical displacement, involving transformations in ways of living, communicating, and constructing meanings in new sociocultural contexts, highlighting the need for inclusive public policies.