A juventude de Mãe Luíza e o seu lugar social no cenário urbano

Abstract

It discusses the social place occupied by the youth of outlying areas in the urban social imaginary. Having the stigma issue as an axle, it presents the essential categories to its understanding, such as (in)visibility, violence and exclusion, pointing out this quarrel in a social- anthropologychal approach. The research was carried through with teenagers of the age band from 15 to 24 years old, living in Mãe Luiza neighborhood, a popular quarter of Natal s east zone, that has close to 16.000 inhabitants. Quantitative methods had been used, through questionnaires application to 364 teenagers; and qualitative methods through the accomplishment of 5 focal groups with the adolescents. The results point a strong youth concern regarding the quarter daily violence; and the weaved image in the urban social imaginary of the neighborhood As dangerous", "violent". It is also possible to perceive the social groups diversity, in general, related with churches and cultural activities, which are important catalysers of the envolvement process of the youth with the quarter