Neoliberalismo para baixinhos: a defesa do ideário neoliberal na revista em quadrinhos “Cidadania” da turma da Mônica.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the defense of neoliberal ideology in the comic book “Cidadania” (Citizenship) from Turma da Mônica, published in 1993 by the Instituto Cultural Mauricio de Sousa. From a theoretical perspective that considers neoliberalism as a governmental rationality, this research seeks to understand how neoliberal values, such as meritocracy, individual responsibility, and criticism of the State, are conveyed to a young audience through the comic’s playful narrative. The central problem revolves around how comic books, as a broad-reaching communication medium, can be used to disseminate ideologies, shaping subjectivities and naturalizing a political and economic worldview. Divided into three parts, this work begins with a discussion on the concept of neoliberalism and its various nuances, followed by an analysis of the comic book as a historical source and its role in Brazilian cultural production. Finally, a detailed analysis of the comic book “Cidadania” is presented, examining how the narrative and images reinforce a neoliberal view of citizenship, diminishing the role of the state and privileging market logic. By investigating the insertion of these values into a cultural product aimed at children, this study contributes to the understanding of how popular culture operates in the dissemination of political ideologies.