In the shade of the Olympic Waterfront : people’s perception of violence in Morro da Providência

Abstract

In this Master thesis, Rio de Janeiro's district of Morro da Providência, Brazil's first slum and the place the term "favela" was coined is the starting point for the exploration of sociospatial segregation and (in)security. Morro da Providência is located only one kilometer away from the brand-new Rio de Janeiro's waterfront, Porto Maravilha, which was erected as part of the preparation to the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016. From this starting point, this thesis examines the meaning of this urban density and socio-economic disparity from local perspectives on security. Through a mini ethnographic exercise comprised of in-depth interviews, walking methodology and physical, visual and historical analysis of the Cruzeiro region of Providência, this thesis sheds light on questions of rights, connection to place and mobility between Morro da Providência and other areas of the city. This is done through the presentation of eight in-depth interviews, collected in the form of life stories. These stories portrait the experiences with various forms of violence in Providência, the effects in their everyday lives as well as their mechanisms to navigate the city while living under these constraints. These experiences and perceptions are supplemented with an analysis of urban and habitational policy developments at Providência and Porto Maravilha since the 1970s. In a final section, this case study of socio-spatial segregation and security are discussed in conjunction with the literature on evolving urban security arrangements.