Débora Póvoa - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Débora Póvoa

Research paper thumbnail of Media, Place and Tourism

Routledge eBooks, Mar 26, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Film Tourism in Brazil

Routledge eBooks, Mar 26, 2024

This chapter has been made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND license.

Research paper thumbnail of How to Get Away with Color : Color-Blindness and the Post-Racial Illusion in Popular American Television Series

Alphaville, 2017

The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the ... more The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socioeconomic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the "colour-blind approach" of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities for everyone, regardless of colour and race. Through a narrative analysis of the first season of the series, this chapter will argue that the depiction of race in How to Get Away with Murder is highly ambivalent. On the one hand, the show does not completely ignore race by inserting topics such as racism in the plot, giving these issues at least some visibility. On the other hand, its more general panorama reveals an intent to deracialise its main characters in a colour-blind manner. This is problematic since it overshadows racial issues that still have a big impact on the lives of racial minorities.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘The festival is ours’: Power dynamics of community participation in the Alter do Chão Film Festival

International Journal of Cultural Studies, Feb 7, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of How to Get Away with Colour: Colour-Blindness and the Myth of a Postracial America in Popular American Television Series

textabstractThe popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to ch... more textabstractThe popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socio-economic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the “colour-blind approach” of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities...

Research paper thumbnail of A Brazilian Hollywood in the making? Film, tourism and creative city discourse in the hinterland of Paraíba

International Journal of Cultural Studies, 2021

Originating in metropoles in the Global North, the creative cities model has increasingly been re... more Originating in metropoles in the Global North, the creative cities model has increasingly been replicated in locations around the globe. However, betting on the creative industries to reinvigorate stagnant economies might not be a solution compatible with every context. To analyse this issue, this article presents the case of the small Brazilian city of Cabaceiras, which was the target of a project aimed at revitalizing its economy through film and tourism in 2007. Based on 25 interviews with residents and policy makers, we examine whether the initiative was, in their view, successful in stimulating a creative hub. We argue that the creative cities model has not yet proven feasible in Cabaceiras due to financial and infrastructural challenges that the city experiences, its positioning outside of Brazil’s cultural and creative centres and the uncertainties of investing in the audiovisual sector in the country.

Research paper thumbnail of How to get away with colour

Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media

The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the ... more The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socio-economic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the “colour-blind approach” of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities for everyon...

Research paper thumbnail of The Telenovela Effect: Challenges of Location Filming and Telenovela Tourism in the Brazilian Favelas

The Journal of Popular Culture

Research paper thumbnail of From the Shadow to the Map: Visualizing Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas

Research paper thumbnail of From the Shadow to the Map: Visualizing Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas

Research paper thumbnail of How to Get Away with Colour: Colour-Blindness and the Myth of a Postracial America in American Television Series

Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, 2017

The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the ... more The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socioeconomic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the " colour-blind approach " of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities for everyone, regardless of colour and race. Through a narrative analysis of the first season of the series, this chapter will argue that the depiction of race in How to Get Away with Murder is highly ambivalent. On the one hand, the show does not completely ignore race by inserting topics such as racism in the plot, giving these issues at least some visibility. On the other hand, its more general panorama reveals an intent to deracialise its main characters in a colour-blind manner. This is problematic since it overshadows racial issues that still have a big impact on the lives of racial minorities.

ISSN: 2009-4078

Research paper thumbnail of Media, Place and Tourism

Routledge eBooks, Mar 26, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Film Tourism in Brazil

Routledge eBooks, Mar 26, 2024

This chapter has been made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND license.

Research paper thumbnail of How to Get Away with Color : Color-Blindness and the Post-Racial Illusion in Popular American Television Series

Alphaville, 2017

The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the ... more The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socioeconomic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the "colour-blind approach" of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities for everyone, regardless of colour and race. Through a narrative analysis of the first season of the series, this chapter will argue that the depiction of race in How to Get Away with Murder is highly ambivalent. On the one hand, the show does not completely ignore race by inserting topics such as racism in the plot, giving these issues at least some visibility. On the other hand, its more general panorama reveals an intent to deracialise its main characters in a colour-blind manner. This is problematic since it overshadows racial issues that still have a big impact on the lives of racial minorities.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘The festival is ours’: Power dynamics of community participation in the Alter do Chão Film Festival

International Journal of Cultural Studies, Feb 7, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of How to Get Away with Colour: Colour-Blindness and the Myth of a Postracial America in Popular American Television Series

textabstractThe popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to ch... more textabstractThe popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socio-economic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the “colour-blind approach” of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities...

Research paper thumbnail of A Brazilian Hollywood in the making? Film, tourism and creative city discourse in the hinterland of Paraíba

International Journal of Cultural Studies, 2021

Originating in metropoles in the Global North, the creative cities model has increasingly been re... more Originating in metropoles in the Global North, the creative cities model has increasingly been replicated in locations around the globe. However, betting on the creative industries to reinvigorate stagnant economies might not be a solution compatible with every context. To analyse this issue, this article presents the case of the small Brazilian city of Cabaceiras, which was the target of a project aimed at revitalizing its economy through film and tourism in 2007. Based on 25 interviews with residents and policy makers, we examine whether the initiative was, in their view, successful in stimulating a creative hub. We argue that the creative cities model has not yet proven feasible in Cabaceiras due to financial and infrastructural challenges that the city experiences, its positioning outside of Brazil’s cultural and creative centres and the uncertainties of investing in the audiovisual sector in the country.

Research paper thumbnail of How to get away with colour

Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media

The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the ... more The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socio-economic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the “colour-blind approach” of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities for everyon...

Research paper thumbnail of The Telenovela Effect: Challenges of Location Filming and Telenovela Tourism in the Brazilian Favelas

The Journal of Popular Culture

Research paper thumbnail of From the Shadow to the Map: Visualizing Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas

Research paper thumbnail of From the Shadow to the Map: Visualizing Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas

Research paper thumbnail of How to Get Away with Colour: Colour-Blindness and the Myth of a Postracial America in American Television Series

Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, 2017

The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the ... more The popular American television series How to Get Away with Murder (2014) seems to challenge the long history of stereotypical roles assigned to racial minorities in American media by choosing a multiracial cast to impersonate characters that, while having different racial backgrounds, share a similar socioeconomic status and have multidimensional personalities that distance them from the common stereotypes. However, although it has been praised for its portrayal of racial diversity, the series operates within a problematic logic of racial colour-blindness, disconnecting the main characters from any sign of racial specificity and creating a fictional world in which racism is no longer part of American society. This case study aims to demonstrate to which extent the " colour-blind approach " of the TV show reinforces the postracial illusion in the United States, i.e. the idea that the country has overcome its past of racial segregation and now offers the same opportunities for everyone, regardless of colour and race. Through a narrative analysis of the first season of the series, this chapter will argue that the depiction of race in How to Get Away with Murder is highly ambivalent. On the one hand, the show does not completely ignore race by inserting topics such as racism in the plot, giving these issues at least some visibility. On the other hand, its more general panorama reveals an intent to deracialise its main characters in a colour-blind manner. This is problematic since it overshadows racial issues that still have a big impact on the lives of racial minorities.

ISSN: 2009-4078