This Symposium will explore the relationships between social media and politics in contemporary Brazil. The rise of social media deeply altered the way political information is produced, disseminated, and mobilized by political parties at a time of heightened public distrust. Join us for a unique opportunity to learn from experts on Brazilian media and politics.
Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Levis Faculty Center, Room 210
Important: Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Seating is limited.
Kindly RSVP by April 3, 2026, at: bit.ly/brazilsymposium
Program
8:30 a.m.
Welcome and Breakfast
9:00 a.m.
The Struggle Over Political Memory on Digital Platforms
Raiana de Carvalho, Assistant Professor, Furman University
Analyzing digital responses to the 2018 assassination of Councilwoman Marielle Franco and the 2023 Brasília attacks, this presentation examines how digital platforms shape political memory. It highlights social media’s dual role in amplifying right-wing populism while also sustaining practices of mourning, resistance, and demands for justice.
9:45 a.m.
The Role of Social Media in News Coverage
Rachel Mourão, Associate Professor, University of Miami
This presentation traces the evolution of social media from a bottom-up resource during the 2013 protests to a top-down institutional source during the Bolsonaro administration. It further examines the January 8 riots in Brasília as a hybrid communicative space in which journalists reported alongside influencers who blurred the boundaries between humor and news.
10:30 a.m.
Coffee Break
10:45 a.m.
Talk: Digital Media and Public Opinion on Brazil–U.S. Relations
Ivan Fernandes, Associate Professor, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC)
Using data from Brazil, the Americas, and the World project and CEBRAP’s Observatory of Foreign Policy in the Press, this talk examines how Brazilian public opinion toward the US has evolved. It explores the media coverage of foreign policy issues, highlighting the interplay among public opinion, news framing, and the rise of radical right-wing leadership in shaping perceptions of Brazil–U.S. relations in Brazil.
11:30 a.m.
Talk: The Influencer Economy and the Rise of the New Right
Alexandre Gonçalves, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Drawing on 65 in-depth interviews, this talk examines how Brazilian right-wing influencers bypassed traditional media to build self-sustaining digital economies. It explores the transition from content creation to professionalized media ventures, illustrating how platform-based monetization fosters a resilient alternative ecosystem for populist discourse.
12:15 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion
1:00 p.m.
Lunch
Contact Information
For questions, please email: gonca@illinois.edu
Sponsorship
This event is co-sponsored by the Institute of Communications Research (ICR) at the College of Media.