The article calls attention to the existence of a ‘country’ culture in Brazil, that is, a pattern of urban sociability where aspects of rural life are adopted as expressions of sophistication and refinement. Some comparisons are drawn between this country style and the US ‘country and Western’ culture. The arguments presented make no pretense of exhausting the topic but are intended as a contribution towards further discussion. Since the ideas developed here have been derived from field work conducted in rural São Paulo and in Texas, caution should be exercised before making any generalizations.
country culture; rural and urban; sociability; contemporary cultural boundaries