Media Use and Identity Formation in Brazil - a tre-dimensional study of cultural globalisation By Thomas Tufte Roskilde University, Denmark UT, Austin, Texas, 14 October 2008

Tv, family and identity - Porto Alegre ’fin de siecle’ Turn of the millenium, globalization, re- surgence of local, regional and national cultural identities Turn of the millenium, globalization, re- surgence of local, regional and national cultural identities Media development in Brazil (cable, sattelite) Media development in Brazil (cable, sattelite) In what ways do media influence identity formation amongst 4 families of different social and ethnic background?

Aims… Studying processes of cultural globalization Studying processes of cultural globalization Capturing social and cultural dynamics over time: historisizing the experience of 4 families over a century-long period Capturing social and cultural dynamics over time: historisizing the experience of 4 families over a century-long period Connecting historical studies of cultural trajectories with contemporary lived lives – all contextualized in urban and media development Connecting historical studies of cultural trajectories with contemporary lived lives – all contextualized in urban and media development

Cultural Fronts A tool to help us understand: ’the historical, the structural and the everyday ways in which a warp of relationships of hegemony in a given society are constructed (Gonzalez 1996) A tool to help us understand: ’the historical, the structural and the everyday ways in which a warp of relationships of hegemony in a given society are constructed (Gonzalez 1996) = three dimensions of analysis

Cultural Identity * ’The articulation of cultural identities becomes social constructed positionings, characterised by the navigation between different cultural fronts and a constant negotiation between powers’

FOCYP: A model for cultural analysis (formation of cultural supply and its publics) Cultural Cartografies Cultural Cartografies - Cultural fields - Historisizing trajectories and interrelations between cultural aparatuses Genealogies Genealogies - Culture’s publics are not ’born’ – they are ’made’ - Oral histories/family histories (family forces/ideologies) - At least three generations/historisize social trajectories Cultural Practices and Habits Cultural Practices and Habits - Survey/questionnaire - Ethnography

4 families in Porto Alegre - German, Italian, Jewish, Black Cultural Cartografies Cultural Cartografies - Migration and urban development - Media development and regional/national identity building - Tv program supply: mapping the content - Audience media consumption Diachronic Dimension: Genealogies Diachronic Dimension: Genealogies - Family histories (3 generations) Synchronic Dimension: Cultural Practices and Habits Synchronic Dimension: Cultural Practices and Habits - Family ethnographies

Four identitary phases: 1. ’Remote Identities’ Reconstructing processes: arrivals, family origins and ethnicity marks the group as founding reference Reconstructing processes: arrivals, family origins and ethnicity marks the group as founding reference German case: arrival in 1865 German case: arrival in 1865 Jewish case: arrival mid 20th century Jewish case: arrival mid 20th century Italian case: arrival in 1875 Italian case: arrival in 1875 Black/African case: arrival in the 17th century Black/African case: arrival in the 17th century Rather than ethnic focus, socio-cultural history and social network analysis plays a role Rather than ethnic focus, socio-cultural history and social network analysis plays a role

2. ’Traditional identities’ Thre group and family identities began to develop referents within the new contexts, marked still, however, by cultural origins Thre group and family identities began to develop referents within the new contexts, marked still, however, by cultural origins Learning Portuguese, ’A colonia’ being the turning point in everyday life, marriage within the colonia, strong family nucleus Learning Portuguese, ’A colonia’ being the turning point in everyday life, marriage within the colonia, strong family nucleus Black family fighting for survival Black family fighting for survival Newspapers had a community building role. Radio entering…

3. ’Urban-Rural Identities’ (a) The urbanisation and modernisation of Brazil plays a strong role. Migration, and an increased socialization between descendants of immigrants and surrounding society The urbanisation and modernisation of Brazil plays a strong role. Migration, and an increased socialization between descendants of immigrants and surrounding society interethnic marriages, not interracial interethnic marriages, not interracial Less religion Less religion less cultivation of ethnic traditions less cultivation of ethnic traditions less family ideology/family companies less central) less family ideology/family companies less central)

3. ’Urban-Rural Identities’ (b) Media’s role increasing: national and regional media develop producing strong national and regional cultural references Media’s role increasing: national and regional media develop producing strong national and regional cultural references Huge national production of telenovelas (urban-rural dichotomies reworked continuously in telenovelas) Huge national production of telenovelas (urban-rural dichotomies reworked continuously in telenovelas) More fluid and multiple identitary constructions More fluid and multiple identitary constructions Racism: the black family suffers in urban environment.

4. ’Fin de siecle identities’ Beginning to live differentiated lives (within each ethnic group) in the way they organize and orient their lives, both in terms of time, space and social relations Beginning to live differentiated lives (within each ethnic group) in the way they organize and orient their lives, both in terms of time, space and social relations Strong re-articulation of family ideologies but also: increased travel for some, family company going broke, divorses. Black family: retirement and illness. Strong re-articulation of family ideologies but also: increased travel for some, family company going broke, divorses. Black family: retirement and illness. Media playing an increasing role, along with macro-social developments + private family trajectories influence these identity processes Media playing an increasing role, along with macro-social developments + private family trajectories influence these identity processes

Summing up Historisizing family trajectories: the challenge of the (traditional) family as core social nucleus Historisizing family trajectories: the challenge of the (traditional) family as core social nucleus Urban and media development: increased complexity: stability + internationalisation, transnational connections… cosmopolitanism? Urban and media development: increased complexity: stability + internationalisation, transnational connections… cosmopolitanism?

Summing up The key prism to understand mediated experience and cultural globalisation is everyday life: The key prism to understand mediated experience and cultural globalisation is everyday life: re-orientations re-orientations fragmentations fragmentations mediations mediations Beyond mediacentrism Beyond mediacentrism