“Brazilian Music” as simbolic capital and strategy between migrants in Boston/EUA

• In Event: Creativity in the margins: displacements, the body and images of power (part 2: migration and its expressions)

Abstract

This study aims a description of the uses of “Brazilian Music” as simbolic capital and strategy of social inclusion between migrants in Boston (USA) and its metropolitan area. The state of Massachussets, and chiefly Boston and its neighbohoods, has the second largest community of Brazilian immigrants of the United States of America and, to many of these people, the music is a powerful way of social inclusion at the local comunity. So,“Brazilian Music”, seen as a broad musical field that includes different types of music (each one with different simbolic values), is a topic that has a great importance to deal with cultural stereotypes and to create zones of identities in an area where exists a plenty of immigrants communities. The dimension of this importance is realized when we see that not-Brazilian immigrants musicians use this “Brazilian Music” topic as well. This study aims to describe these different uses of Brazilian music in Boston area and its importance as strategy (agency) by immigrants - Brazilians or not - to create senses of belongings and distinctions.

Author

• Allan Oliveira