Cross-Cultural - Cross The Divide

Becky's last post of "one of the most iconic views of contemporary São Paulo, commonly used in international publications dealing with the city" has pride of place on probably hundreds of walls in geography classrooms. Obviously striking, how much of the story does it tell on inequality between social groups in the city of Sao Paulo? How can it be used to analyse the nature and patterns of inequalities in the city?

Teresa Caldeira, a professor of city and regional planning at the University of California, does what I think is a damn fine job in the below essay:

http://www.urbanage.net/10_cities/08_saoPaulo/_essays/SA_Caldeira.html

Blimey, it even introduces us to Brazilian hip-hop and touches on the issue of the hyping of inequalities and differences in 'street' culture. Maybe this is why so much hip-hop gets a bad rap.
I think the reveling in 'differences' is worse for any society than not acknowledging them at all.
Anyone for a discussion?