“Favela: Four Decades of Living on the Edge in Rio de Janeiro” gains Portuguese version

On March 4, FGV Press will hold a book launch for the Portuguese edition of “Favela: Four Decades of Living on the Edge in Rio de Janeiro,” by anthropologist Janice Perlman, who has studied the history of Rio’s shantytowns for more than 50 years. The event, which will include a discussion between the author, journalist Flávia Oliveira, historian Paulo Knauss and economist Mauro Osorio, will be held at the Pereira Passos Institute, at Rua Gago Coutinho, 52, Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro, at 6 pm.

Janice Perlman is recognized around the world as one of the first academics to have lived in a favela in Rio de Janeiro for fieldwork purposes. Her books, articles and interviews are benchmarks for everyone interested in the subject. Her first book, published in Brazil as “O mito da marginalidade: favelas e política no Rio de Janeiro” (Editora Paz e Terra, 1977), is a point of reference for academics, NGOs, government officials and international agencies.

Thirty years on, Perlman returned to Rio to conduct a longitudinal study, following the life stories of her original interviewees, as well as their children and grandchildren. “Favela: Four Decades of Living on the Edge in Rio de Janeiro” presents the results of this intergenerational study and narrates the lives and fates of hundreds of shantytown residents described in her seminal work.

The book, originally published in English by Oxford University Press, explores social processes in Rio de Janeiro from 1968 to 2008, when urban issues became central to understanding and solving our problems. In this period, the symbols of hills versus plains, center versus periphery and the divided city became enigmatic, challenging all of us to decipher them or be devoured by our urban contradictions.

Subjects such as urban violence, marginality, the activities of cooperative associations, and individual and family life trajectories are elements that portray a rich and complex picture for those wishing to study the city of Rio de Janeiro as a whole, and not just its favelas.

Using information collected over time, the book supports broad movements that reflect on “the city we want.” The publication of the Portuguese version comes at a time of great importance and opportunities to influence current debate.

The book gives voice to marginalized people and communities, but it does so with academic authority. It is the second volume in the “Favela Trilogy.” The author is now writing the final book, based on her research between 2015 and 2019.

Janice Perlman used to be a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of California, Berkeley. Since then, she has lectured at many universities around the world. Perlman has won Guggenheim and Fulbright prizes, among other awards. She has a PhD in politics and urban studies from MIT.

The Portuguese edition of “Favela: Four Decades of Living on the Edge in Rio de Janeiro” will be published initially in digital format. During the launch event, FGV Press will distribute promotional codes to acquire the e-book on its website.