Underground sociabilities : identity, culture and resistance in Rio de Janeiro's favelas [Book Review]

Abstract

With the holding of the Football World Cup in Brazil this year and the Olympics in 2016, the situation of the poor in Rio de Janeiro and the chasm between the poor and the rich in that city is receiving more attention than usual in the world press. However, it is still difficult for outsiders to understand the reality of the situation. Who controls the favelas? Why do favela dwellers not move out of their environment and settle in other parts of the city? How can one reconcile the harsh conditions inside the favelas with the popular imagery of the carioca spirit: carnival, bossa nova, Carmen Miranda and her fruit hats, and the passion for football? Are these real but separate worlds, or are they just stereotypes which an outsider employs to simplify a much more complex picture