Abstract
Drawing on the results of an ethnographic study and group interviews with young people and social project coordinators from favelasin Rio de Janeiro, this article discusses the association between youth and vulnerabilities and its possible consequences for the reinforcement of negative stereotypes of poor young people through discourses that emphasize self-management. It explores the notion of production of victims as entrepreneurs of their social redemption by promoting reflection on the use of the category involved in crime, disseminated in the common sense as a new form of criminal labeling. The article addresses material and symbolic investments in poor young people, beneficiaries of so-called social projects, reflecting on the maneuvers of meanings that veil the temporality of these initiatives, characterized by moralistic overtones of merit and salvation. The fear of dying or "remaining", of not finding a job, and a series of other fears are the focus of this reflection, which seeks to broaden the debate over institutional initiatives directed at young people.
Highlights
The research that gave rise to this article was undertaken in two phases between 2016 and 2017
Drawing on the results of an ethnographic study and group interviews with young people and social project coordinators from favelasin Rio de Janeiro, this article discusses the association between youth and vulnerabilities and its possible consequences for the reinforcement of negative stereotypes of poor young people through discourses that emphasize self-management
The article addresses material and symbolic investments in poor young people, beneficiaries of so-called social projects, reflecting on the maneuvers of meanings that veil the temporality of these initiatives, characterized by moralistic overtones of merit and salvation
Summary
The research that gave rise to this article was undertaken in two phases between 2016 and 2017. Under the aegis of the inclusion narrative to reduce inequalities, youth policies should go beyond universal access to formal education to include a set of “reeducational” activities ranging from sport and culture to employment advice and support In poor areas, it is common among young people, activists, politicians and local media to use the expression “young person from the project” in reference to the adhesion of young people to a new world: that of the asfalto in their civilizing mission. Diverse and differentiated in their styles, objectives and characteristics, social projects become a physical and symbolic refuge used by young people to free themselves from accusations of being involved in crime They aspire to create means of inclusion in order to unlock the doors of social stratification. These spaces provide the opportunity to experience more horizontal learning with greater flexibility in terms of content, teaching methods and capacity to tailor activities to the demands of their clientele, which Gohn[11] calls the field of informal education
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