Attitudes that make a difference: coronavirus and the collectives in the favelas (article)

Authors: Caique Azael Ferreira da Silva, Cristiana de Siqueira Gonçalves, Cristiane Dameda and Rosa Maria Leite Ribeiro Pedro.

Originally posted on: Revista Psicologia Política.

Abstract

The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil profoundly changes the life dynamics of the population. With regard to favelas and suburbs, a series of challenges for the implementation of sanitary prescriptions against the virus expose the strong inequality that structures Brazilian society and also shows that the allegedly democratic virus actually assumes other characteristics in contact with social inequality and the racism. The indifference of public authorities to certain territories, motivated by a government rationality guided by necropolitics, gives the population the responsibility to organize themselves to guarantee food, health care and information to residents. The role of the collective in confronting violations of rights and building possible worlds is reaffirmed by actions of solidarity and by the attempt to build other futures for those who suffer from violence every day.