Analyzes the implications of mega-projects connected to Rio's transformation for the 2016 Olympic Games. Contributions from literary critics, historians, anthropologists, architects, media theorists, geographers and urban planners tell the story of how these changes to the cityscape have kindled citizens' hopes and aspirations for their “right to a future” and chronicle the ways in which citizens have contested the futures being imposed on them. Anticipating the city yet to come, these essays also point to the potential for activism and protest to transform the Olympic legacy into different, more democratic, futures. While focused on Rio, the book offers critical insights for other cities experiencing wide-ranging challenges and facing far-reaching urban reforms.