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Digital comforts and life in Rio de Janeiro: objects and technologies among the mid to lower layers of Carioca consumers
Thu, February 17, 8:00 to 9:30am, Virtual Building, VR101Abstract
The paper discusses everyday consumption in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, based on a qualitative investigation, which is part of an international project on new consumer cultures in large cities from emerging economies in the Global South. The project aims to understand the material and symbolic transformations among urban populations existing in-between classic representations of “urban poor” and “new middle class.” Most of our participants in Rio de Janeiro are self-employed precarious workers, who have benefited from social benefits, affirmative action policies or government aid. They come from underprivileged backgrounds or live in poorer neighborhoods. According to the economic criterium of household income, the bulk of interlocutors are part of the lower layers of the “middle class” spectrum. The research process examined topics such as groceries shopping, clothing, beauty products and services, cell phones and digital technologies, health and education expenses, home appliances and remodeling, and consumption aspirations. Our findings suggest that everyday consumption is key to cariocas’ daily lives, providing them with comfort and well-being. Consumption also supports them in navigating through personal challenges and broader social issues, such as the current health crisis. The pandemic led to the adaptation of consumer practices by incorporating new habits and objects, intensifying the relationship with cell phones, and adopting different modes of online shopping, delivery apps, and streaming services. Though certain goods are seeming widespread in the “middle classes,” consumption experiences are also shaped by differences in personal stories, exposure to urban problems, and inequities among Rio de Janeiro territories.