The favela where I live: the territory from the perspective of young people

Abstract

This article examines a set of photographic productions created by six young people, living in a favela on the outskirts of São Paulo, seeking to reflect on their perception of the territory in which they live. A large part of the population of São Paulo resides in favelas, an urban phenomenon found on the outskirts of large metropolises. Despite the difficulty in accessing basic services, such as health, safety, culture and education, the favela is also a fertile space that nurtures feelings of belonging, solidarity and resistance in its residents. Young people, who also live and circulate in the streets and alleys of the favela, have a specific perspective on their own home territory. This is a qualitative and exploratory study, which uses photography as a research tool. The photographic and cartographic productions of the young people reflected different perspectives of the territory, revealing dimensions of leisure, community articulation, sociability, precariousness of the urban cleaning system, among others. Thus, the undertaking of creating visual narratives made it possible for different aspects of the favela to be exposed, discussed and analyzed.

Key words:
Adolescent; Photography; Social vulnerability; Sociocultural territory