CULT 320: Globalization and Culture

Kara Heitz, 09/30/2014

“City of God” Background• Based on (1997) semi-autobiographical book by Paulo Lins • Film version (2002) directed by Fernando Meirelles• Most of the cast were residents of actual favelas in Brazil• Film received numerous awards and accolades globally • Time period: 1960s-1980s• Location: “City of God”, a favela on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro

• Historical context– 1964-1985: Military dictatorship in Brazil– City of God built in 1960s by as temporary housing for the poo– No electricity, water, sanitation and other public services

• (1950s-1980s) Big shift in Brazilian economy: less agriculture , more industrial production– Mass migration of people from rural to urban– More job opportunities in formal economy for skilled/educated workers– High unemployment, esp. among poor and lower classes

• (1970s-1980s) Brazilian government saddled with huge debt– Adopts neoliberal economic policies– Initially led to overall economic growth, but caused extreme income inequalities

“City of God” Questions• Story/narrative in the film itself (description)

– What do you think are the central themes of the film?– What larger issues associated with globalization, capitalism, and industrialization are affecting

the events that go on in the “City of God” favela?

• Global cinema industry (production, regulation)– How/why did this film find distribution beyond Brazil?– Why would the Cannes Film Festival choose to screen this film? Why did Hollywood (i.e. the

Academy Awards) pick this film for awards?

• Global audiences (consumption, identity)– Why do you think this movie was so popular outside of Brazil? Why did it win so many awards?– What do audiences get out of watching it? What is fun and pleasurable about viewing the

movie? – Does the film bring attention to the horrible conditions of favela life or glamourize the violence

and life of a “hood” (or both)?

• Favelization website (representation)– Why do you think the favelas have come to be used to represent “Brazil” in global culture

products? What are the ethical issues associated with using favelas in film, fashion, design, etc. (especially luxury products)?

In-Class Workshop: Developing a Research Question

• Specifics of assignment

• What makes a good research question?

• Developing a research question from your object description

Production:• How/when/where is this object made? How does it come into being? What resources

are needed for its construction?

Consumption:• Who uses this object? What do people do with it? What kinds of behaviors and activities

are associated with its use? Where does consumption take place? Where are the impacts?

Regulation:• What are the constraints, norms, laws, guidelines, etc. that influence the production and

consumption of this object? Representation questions:• What meanings are attributed to this object? Who is representing, to whom, at what

time, where, with what effects? How do representations of the object circulate? How do representations vary according to history, geography, etc.?

Identity questions:• How is the object used to construct identities (individual and group)? What kinds of

differences, “samenesses”, similarities, or common causes are generated, emphasized, or contested by the production, circulation, and use of this object?