Festifavelisation: mega-events, slums and strategic city-staging – the example of Rio de Janeiro

Mega-events such as the FIFA World Cup and Olympics drive profound urban transformations, particularly in socio-spatially fragmented cities of the Global South. In Rio de Janeiro, these events sparked processes of 'festivalisation,' where favelas—informal settlements—were strategically altered through measures like invisibilisation (hiding), pacification (security operations), beautification (aesthetic upgrades), and touristic staging (marketing for visitors). The study critically evaluates these interventions, revealing how they reshape urban landscapes while raising questions about social equity and sustainability. Using a case-study approach centered on Rio's 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics preparations, the research combines urban policy analysis with spatial and socio-political perspectives to expose the complexities of event-driven urban development.

Steinbrink, M. (2014). Festifavelisation: mega-events, slums and strategic city-staging – the example of Rio de Janeiro. DIE ERDE – Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin, 144(2), 129–145. https://doi.org/10.12854/ERDE-144-10