Rio The I Went To The City Of God

Slum Tourism has been the topic of debate and research in the last few decades. From our readings, slum tourism is described as the type of “tourist experience that involves visiting urban area characterized by poverty, squalor and violence” (Dürr 113). This form tourism is a recent phenomenon and scholars have been debating on whether it helps or hinder the slums as a whole. The definition of slum varies from city to city, and country to country. Also, the quality of life, the safety, vibrancy of the local economy and legitimacy of it actually existing all differ from slum to slum. In Rio the slums are called a favela, and in Johannesburg they are called a township. Whatever they are called or appear as, they all have been the subject of slum …show more content…
The authors shared how the two films gave a spotlight to the realities of the slums in their respective country, and how it portrayed the many facets of slums for the audience. Showcasing India Unshining by Ana Christina Mendes shared how the movie Slumdog Millionaire showcased slums and the realities of India to an international audience. In the I Went to the City of God by Bianca Freire-Medeiros, the author shares her experience of visiting Rocinha, a local favela, and how it compares to what was depicted in the 2003 movie City of God. Since the two movies were released, tourists have been fascinated and impelled to tour the slums of India and Brazil. Slum tourism has been capitalizing from romanticization of slums from the movie City of God and Slumdog Millionaire. After her experience and documenting the differences from the tour and the movie, the author comes to the conclusion that more research needs be done in order to come to conclusions to depicting and experiencing slums through tourism. The authors point out that there is some truth to the good and bad stereotypes that are depicted in both slum tourism and films. From her experience, there were stereotypes about the slums that were reinforced and she also noted the nuance of differences between the portrayal of slums though the movies and tourism and the everyday reality.

The other readings touched on the pros and cons of slum tourism. The positive side of slum tourism was that it gave economic opportunities for the locals that lived in the slum. The local entrepreneurs were able to capitalize on the tourists. Also, slum tourism gave the locals the power to tell their stories. Rather than being patronized as an impoverished and lawless area of a town, slum tourism helps tourists and locals better understand the uniqueness and vibrancy of the