Colonial discourse in foreign reaction videos: an analysis of representations of Brazil

Abstract

This paper investigates meaning constructions in online spaces related to Brazilian culture, focusing on reaction videos created by foreigners that feature Brazilian cultural goods in their narratives. The study examines discursive and social practices marked by traces of coloniality (Quijano, 2005; Mignolo, 2017) that are observable in these contents. Specifically, it analyzes reaction videos where foreigners engage with Brazilian music from various genres. To this end, Critical Discourse Analysis (Fairclough, 2001; 2012) is employed as a methodological approach, emphasizing discourse as a form of social practice. The analysis reveals that YouTubers seek to represent a diverse range of Brazilian identities through music, although peripheral music genres are more frequently featured in these reaction videos. In the comments from Brazilian viewers, there is a notable presence of colonialist ideology, which hierarchizes cultures, subjects, knowledge, and ways of life, reinforcing stereotypes and stigmas, though such remarks are less frequent compared to positive comments. Additionally, a tendency to value genres like MPB and sertanejo over funk was identified, with the latter often perceived as a lesser cultural expression. The study concludes that reaction videos can be understood as expressions of the tensions between colonial culture and entertainment, as they have the potential to uphold colonial patterns of thought by offering an external, exoticized perspective on the featured culture, thus reinforcing stereotypes, simplified views of colonized perspectives, and unequal power relations.