ABSTRACT
Brazil has long been recognized as a country of contrasts (Bastide 1959; Eakin 1998). Rich in natural resources from arable land to water, forests and gold, high levels of inequality have perpetuated poverty, marginalization and violence. Known for its open, welcoming culture, Brazil has been governed by a minority elite often criticized for its lack of transparency or accountability; in a country where ‘all politics are personal’, great emphasis is placed on ‘knowing who you’re talking to’, in Roberto da Matta’s (1991) memorable words. In recent years, as Brazil’s economic growth and governmental programs have been praised for reducing poverty and hunger, mass protests throughout the country have exposed the fractures of a so-called emerging economy in which structural forms of discrimination and poverty are still evident.
