It's been an exciting year to watch Brazil, especially since the world was also watching, given the World Cup and the presidential election. But there's also plenty else going on, from an ever-changing middle class to the country's security challenges. Here are highlights from the blog.
The World Cup: Despite ominous predictions, the international mega-event went well, for the most part. Brazil was eliminated from the tournament in a devastating loss, but Brazilians' attitudes on the World Cup overall and their team's defeat showed how the country has changed since it last hosted the games in 1950.
- Why Aren't Brazilians Excited About the World Cup?
- Five Reasons Why So Many Brazilian World Cup Spectators Are Rich and White
- What Brazil's World Cup Defeat Means
2014 Elections: This year's federal and state votes were like something out of a movie. A presidential candidate died in a plane crash, a former presidential candidate took his place, and the presidential runoff was one of the closest in years. The election caused a huge amount of debate and divisiveness, which will set the stage as the president starts her second term and as Brazil's most conservative Congress since redemocratization takes office next year.
- 10 Things to Know About Brazil's 2014 Election
- Why Brazil's Protests Didn't Translate into Change at the Ballot Box
- Lessons from Brazil's 2014 Presidential Election
- Why Is Brazil's 2014 Presidential Election So Divisive?
Brazil's New Middle Class: As Brazil's economy has slowed to a crawl, interest in the country's growing "new middle class" has also dimished. But the truth is that this massive group of people continues to be one of the most important ones to watch. From January's youth "rolezinhos" to a series of strikes ahead of the World Cup to local protests against violence, Brazil's new middle class continues to redefine itself.
- Rolezinho no Shopping: Brazil's Malls on the Front Lines
- What's Behind Rio's Garbage Worker Strike
- Descer do Morro: Rio's Favela Protests
- Brazil's Health Care by the Numbers
Security and Pacification: Security remains one of Brazilians' top concerns. Whether it's continued efforts to "pacify" Rio's favelas or vigilantes taking the law into their own hands, the debate remains about how the authorities should best address public security.
- Beyond the Bike Lock Incident: Vigilante Justice in Brazil
- Five Dilemmas of Rio's Pacification Strategy
- Human Rights in Brazil: Interview with Mauricio Santoro
- In Their Own Words: Rocinha Before and After Pacification
- A Ferguson Every Day: Do Black Lives Matter in Brazil?
Journalism and Social Media: Brazilians are using a variety of online tools, from Facebook to Twitter to Instagram, to debate some of the country's most important issues, ranging from mega-events to security to politics.
Nice review of the year! Localsofbrazil.com
Keep going Gringa!
Posted by: Joe | January 02, 2015 at 03:56 PM