From California to Brazil

From the mid-twentieth century onwards, the United States played a significant role in global transformations. Consequently, the country exerted significant influence on Brazilian society, which facilitated the incorporation of American cultural elements, such as skateboarding. As the sport became more popular in Brazil, skateboarding arrived in Curitiba, capital of Paraná, Southern Brazil, by the 1970s. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, the city became internationally recognised for its urban transformations. Thus, this study analyses the emergence and development of skateboarding in Curitiba during this period. At first, the practice presented itself in economically and socially privileged areas of the city. By the end of the twentieth century, skateboarding became associated with typically urban social movements, which had an impact on the skaters’ modes of expression and how society viewed them. Simultaneously, the process of institutionalisation and sportification of skateboarding gained strength

Art · Curitiba · Geography · Humanities · Adventure Sports and Sensation Seeking · Digital Games and Media · History · Sports and Physical Education Studies