Anatomia do espetáculo urbano: o caso da cidade de Aracaju

Abstract

The research analyzes how contemporary urban policies have promoted the city of Aracaju as a product aimed at consumption and tourism. The investigation explores the relationship between tourist events, aesthetic interventions, and the symbolic construction of the city's image, highlighting the valorization of spaces dedicated to leisure, culture, and temporary events. The city is increasingly conceived as a commodity, where its image becomes a central element in the competition for investments and in strengthening its position in the urban market. The study discusses how these interventions contribute to the creation of spectacularized landscapes, characterized by the promotion of scenographic environments designed for consumption and by the transformation of historical and cultural elements into tourist attractions. This logic of urban intervention prioritizes the enhancement of areas with economic potential, especially those linked to tourism and the real estate sector, while the needs of the population in peripheral regions remain overlooked. The research also examines how City Marketing strategies promote an idealized image of the city, which often does not correspond to the lived realities of its inhabitants. The analysis concludes that this process deepens socio-spatial inequalities, contributing to the fragmentation of urban territory and the commodification of urban spaces, in a dynamic that prioritizes economic interests over collective well-being.