Brazilian Popular Music and Citizenship

“Idelber Avelar’s and Christopher Dunn’s book is not only an invaluable aid in understanding the complex relationship between culture and politics in Brazil. It also helps us to understand how culture and politics act together in forming our common future, and even suggests ways in which we as citizens might have a hand in determining how things turn out.” - Arto Lindsay, musician and artist

“This book is quite important for understanding the significance of music in Brazil. It shows that music—as a complex social, cultural, artistic, and even political phenomenon—was part and parcel of the constitution of citizenship. Music has been a crucial constitutive factor in Brazilians’ sense of belonging.” - George Yúdice, author of The Expediency of Culture: Uses of Culture in the Global Era

“Brazilian Popular Music and Citizenship is a significant contribution to the discussions of the Latin American social movements, cultural politics, and participatory democracy that have been taking place in the academy, policy circles, and among grassroots movements over the last 20 years. The international currency of cultural citizenship discourses, together with the present proliferation of musical expressions from Brazil’s peripheries, make this a timely publication, and its rich case studies will be of interest to scholars in cultural studies, anthropology, ethnomusicology, and related disciplines.” - Darien Lamen, The Americas

“[T]hought-provoking. . . .” - Clive Bell, The Wire

“Since ethnomusicologists have noticed and bemoaned the neglect of music in introductory anthropology courses and texts (which is all that most students will ever see of the subject), this powerful anthology will hopefully encourage anthropologists to take more seriously the place of music in contemporary politics and identity and to integrate that topic—surely one that students would enjoy hearing—into their teaching and writing.” - Jack David Eller, Anthropology Review Database

“[A] fascinating book…. the crucial role that Brazilian music plays in the social and political sphere makes this book relevant for a variety of academic disciplines and important beyond any scholarly trend.” - Kavin Paulraj, Hispanic American Historical Review

"[A]n excellent source for anyone interested in Brazilian popular music in relation to power, identity, race, and the cultural industry.”  - Rogerio Budasz, Music and Letters

“Each of these chapters in the volume presents rich reflections on compelling musical phenomena. Taken together, they constitute a necessary and important contribution to our understanding of recent trends in Brazilian popular music and in the construction and meanings of Brazilian citizenship.” - Bryan McCann, Luso-Brazilian Review

“The volume makes important contributions from the perspectives of both (ethno)musicology and cultural studies…. The anthology helps scholars consider the uneven contributions of music to discourses of citizenship; individual chapters serve as excellent stand-alone case studies that could be used to help students reflect on the social significance of particular genres.” - Cory J. Lafevers, Latin American Music Review