A “white elephant” on Natal’s dunes? A post-developmentalist analysis of the discourses surrounding the construction of the Arena das Dunas

Abstract

One of the big controversies surrounding the holding of the World Cup soccer finals in Brazil involved the construction of new stadiums, especially those considered as potential “white elephants”, such as the Arena das Dunas in Natal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the arguments that constituted the different discourses relating to the construction of the Arena das Dunas. To this end, we looked at three different discursive positions on this subject: those of the organizers of the event, those of the media and those of civil society. The data was obtained through interviews, direct observation and documents. The method adopted was Foucauldian archeology and its discourse analysis. In opting for a theoretical perspective, we adopted post-development theory. Our findings pointed to two opposing discursive formations: one favorable and the other contrary to the investment made in the construction of the stadium.