Collection of essays written by Brazilian and American scholars considers many aspects of Brazilian society and culture. Divided into four sections: 'Brazilian Styles of Social Relations,' 'Race, Class, and Gender in a Changing Culture,' 'Ideologies and Cultures on an International Stage,' and 'Brazilian Society: Macrostructures in Comparative Perspective.' Essays share a comparative and cultural perspective, bringing out the hierarchical and personalistic structures of Brazilian society"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.

Encompassing half the continent of South America, Brazil is one of the most modern, complex, and misunderstood nations. Renowned Brazilian anthropologist Roberto DaMatta takes the misconceptions and offers a fresh, provocative interpretation of the complexity of social structure in Brazil. Using the tools of comparative social anthropology, DaMatta seeks to understand his native country by examining the values, attitudes, and systems that shape the identity of Brazil and its people. He probes the dilemma between the highly authoritarian, hierarchical aspects of Brazilian society and the concurrent desire for equality, democracy, and harmony in that same society. DaMatta leads us on a fascinating exploration into the the world of Brazilian carnivals, rogues, and heroes, and in so doing uncovers a deeper meaning of the rituals, symbols, and dramatizations unique to Brazil and its multifaceted society.

Roberto DaMatta, one of the foremost Brazilian anthropologists, and his colleague Elena Soarez approach the question of gambling in popular culture in general and its treatment in social anthropology in particular. They focus on the "animal game," a kind of popular gambling entertainment or lottery within Brazil in which locals bet on a list of twenty-five animals. They argue that the success of this game, which originated in 1882 with the founding of the first zoo in Rio de Janeiro, and the social release the game provides are significant aspects of Brazilian social history and of the Brazilian "identity." Within the animal game, players "totemize" and identify with various animals. DaMatta and Soarez use this identification as a lens through which to view Brazil's modernity, society, the significance of gambling, and even the role of animal images in Brazilian and Western society. Appearing for the first time in English, this well-written work moves smoothly between comprehensive analysis and field observations of specific behaviors and practices, such as the lucky tricks and devices invested with magical thinking by those who play the game. This book will be of interest to students and scholars in sociology, anthropology, Brazilian studies, and Latin American cultural studies.