The rootless copy: An approach to the counterfeit consumption in Rio de Janeiro

Counterfeit consumption is, today, a common practice in the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Although a very familiar theme, the subject has not been submitted to a wide, systematic approach of the local social sciences yet. Counterfeit is either shown as an example of globalisation, since it mobilizes long-run networks of production and transportation of commodities, or as a very specific pratique that demands an expert for being distinguished from the original, as seen in the painting counterfeits. On the other hand, counterfeit is also connected with informal work and popular consumption; the common sense being that this kind of acquisition intends to puzzle the middle class. This work presents the partial results of a master’s degree research on the theme, focusing on the legal definitions of “counterfeit” or “pirate objects” (“pirataria”, in portuguese) in Brazil, the different agents and techniques involved on the definition and legitimacy of a precise object as fake or not. We deal therefore with consumption, and legal networks, and our goal is to show that counterfeit goes beyond an expert pratique and that most products aren’t bought as a replacement for a “lacking original”. Our methodology consists on fieldwork on a popular market of the centre of the city, the Mercado Popular Uruguaiana, which is known for it’s reputation of counterfeit offer; in-depth interviews with different agents; and analysis of legal documents related to the matter. We intend to contribute, by doing so, bringing new data to a field much filled by common sense, and illuminating a globalisation phenomenon on its micro level.