The rugby, identity and economic process in Brazil

• Grant number: 14/09746-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2014
• End date: May 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Marco Antonio Bettine de Almeida
• Grantee: Diego Monteiro Gutierrez
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The national identity is a fluid cultural element in constant and permanent transformation. It assumes the most diverse aspects, never finding a final or absolute definition. The migratory fluxes are responsible for huge cultural transformations and transformations in the self-identification of the nation. The migrant community introduces elements that became part of the national culture, at the same time it tries to create ties with the local culture creating his own notion of national identity. This work analysis the creation of an alternative national identity and his transformation, through the practice of rugby. The sport, introduced in Brazil in 1894, never had the popularity of his sister modality, the football, but has been practiced, uninterruptedly, for more than a 100 years. The modality has huge popularity worldwide, the rugby world cup is the third biggest sports event in the world, whit an cumulative audience of more than 4 billion people. The sport, in Brazil, will never become fully indigenized, always keeping dependence of the migratory fluxes. Another fundamental element is the level of economic activity in the country. In a first analysis, the dissertation will try to evaluate better this question, during the periods of economic expansion the exchange with the other countries increase and consequently one can observe the growth of the sportive modality of rugby. On the other hand during the periods of economic recession one can observe a strong negative impact in this sports practice. The practice of rugby thus always will be related with the participation of foreigners, but these groups, that choose Brazil as residence, will be creating his own notion of identity, that, besides other elements, will have in the practice and organization of rugby a fundamental element of interaction with Brazil and Brazilians. This new form of construction of identity seems to incorporate new dynamic and original elements, on a very different way of the ones related, as an example, with football, creating a Brazility on his own way. As basic sustentation for these insights, the construction of an identity with original aspects and the relation between the expansion of the sports practice and economic cycles, this work will be based on the analysis of the history of rugby in Brazil through primary and secondary sources and will try to create new perspectives for the development of the sport in the future. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

GUTIERREZ, Diego Monteiro. Rugby, identity and economic process in Brazil. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH) São Paulo.