Examining favelas, media, and activism in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics

In the days leading up to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, Brazilian favelas were heavily sensationalized in international mainstream media as state surveillance, increased policing, and the criminalization of poverty practices were increasingly enforced in favelas for the preparation of the Olympic Games. Yet, from within favelas was the emergence of a very different discourse. Through ‘favela media activism’, which represent the actions of residents to create awareness about social inequalities, problematize prejudice, and resist discrimination, favela residents have stood collectively to protest gentrification of favelas for the implementation of Olympic development projects as well as to challenge common stereotypes of favelas projects as well as to challenge common stereotypes of favelas (Custódio, 2016). These narratives are of particular significance because they provide insight into the ways in which favelas and the politics of favelas are largely contentious. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Jeffrey Masuda

Student:

Partner:

Universidade Federal de Viçosa

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

University:

Queen's University

Program:

Globalink Research Award