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The City is Rio de Janeiro, The country is Brazil.

Vigario Geral

The Brazilians call it the Cidade Maravilhosa. I am sure you can guess what that means, but is it really?

Whoever said 'the camera never lies' was not telling the truth.
Images play a strong part in influencing what we think about places. Images are used to tell us about a place, but they can also mislead too. The pictures you have seen are partial! 
They:

  • represent a moment in time
  • might be posed
  • might have contrasting feel just outside the frame
  • be manipulated to change colours etc.
  • selected to drive home a particular point

Warning: Through the links in this website, you may encounter some disturbing images of violence and poverty.

This enquiry is full of sources, which will need handling very carefully. You should always ask:

  • Who is the source of the information?
  • Why are they giving this information?
  • Why have they chosen this picture?
  • Are there other opinions?
  • Are there alternative images?
  • When was it published?

The Big Enquiry Question
How does the selection of images influence our perception of cities?

The purpose of the enquiry is to see how the 'image' or perception of cities affects people who live in rural areas - life in large cities is not always as good as it is meant to be! The enquiry also looks at the way cities are represented and misrepresented by images.

Your Task: is to create a well-designed brochure that tells the world what Rio de Janeiro [or another city in Brazil] is like from the point of view of one of the following organisations. You will need to work in a group of four! Each person chooses one:
  • The City Government
  • The Rio Tourist Board
  • A UK Charity raising money for poor children
  • A Political Pressure Group opposed to the Brazilian government

 

Little questions with weblinks

Each publication should include information and images to address the following points:

  • What is the city like? What images should I choose for my brochure?
  • Why is it like it is? Why do people come or continue to live there?
  • Which areas of the city should I use as case studies?
  • How might the city be improved?

Wherever possible information should be supported by evidence from the various information sources provided.

What are the different parts of Rio like?
Here is an overview with some links.
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~sergiok/brasil/rio.html

Look here for an excellent photojournalists' profile of Rio & a profile of a favela.
http://www.sln.org.uk/geography/brazil/Contents.html 

http://www.kevinmoloney.com/port/essay/essay.html 

What might Rio be like as a tourist?

http://www.bondinho.com.br/indexus.html

http://ipanema.com/rio/hotels/e/hotels.htm#areas

What might Rio be like as a homeless person?
http://www.kevinmoloney.com/port/essay/essay.html  

http://med.unex.es/medmund/mmeng/mmenrepo/brazil_en.html

http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/news/arc/lasnet/1995/0172.html

http://www2.cnn.com/WORLD/9605/04/newsbriefs/index.html#10

http://www.udel.edu/butzin/articles/child.html

What is being done to improve Rio as a city?
http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/sourcebook/sb0203.htm

http://www.brazzil.com/cvrsep95.htm

What is being done to improve people's lives?
http://pangaea.org/street_children/latin/mnmmr2.htm

http://www.foundation.novartis.com/social_development/brazilian_street_children.htm 

http://www.streetkids.org/index2.htm