Building The Barricades: Mental health, violence, culture and resilience in Maré.

Project Details

Description

Funder: ESRC 1,100.00 pounds

Building The Barricades was a three-year research project (2018-2020) investigating mental health, violence and resilience in Maré, a complex of 16 favelas in Rio de Janeiro. The study was produced through a partnership between Redes da Maré (a civil society organisation) and People's Palace Projects at Queen Mary University of London, collaborating with researchers from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Funded by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) through the Global Challenges Research Fund, the research generated substantial quantitative and qualitative data through:

A representative household survey of 1,211 adult residents
A focused survey of 200 people who frequent open drug-use scenes
27 in-depth interviews with residents
7 interviews with health professionals and social workers
4 focus groups with various stakeholders
Additional creative research methods, including poetry workshops and photography projects

The study is particularly notable as the first large-scale investigation into the mental health impact of armed violence in Rio's favelas. It combined expertise from psychiatry, social sciences, economics, and cultural studies to examine how residents maintain wellbeing despite chronic exposure to violence, with particular attention to the role of cultural practices in building resilience.

Key findings

Cultural Participation and Access
The research revealed a significant gap between awareness and engagement with cultural spaces:

While 71% of adults know of local cultural venues, only 18% regularly use them
Most recognized venues are the Maré Museum, Olympic Village, Cultural Marquee and Arts Centre
Three-quarters of residents who know about cultural venues hadn't visited any in the previous three months

Home-Based Cultural Activities
The most common forms of cultural engagement happen at home:

Television remains dominant (92.5% watch daily/weekly)
Digital engagement is high among those with access:

67.2% stream music daily
64.3% watch online videos daily


Traditional media maintains relevance (46.3% use radio/CDs regularly)

Digital Divide
While 83% have internet access, quality is a major issue:

18% report poor connections
Only 40.9% rate their connection as adequate
This limits participation in online cultural activities
Nearly a quarter (24.6%) had no internet access in the previous three months

External Cultural Activities
Participation in activities outside the home shows clear patterns:

Photography leads active participation (28% weekly/daily)
Cinema attracts broad but infrequent attendance (25% go occasionally)
Museums and theatre see very low engagement
Activities requiring regular travel or attendance show lowest participation

Demographic Patterns
The research identified clear participation gaps:

Young people are most active, especially in digital culture
Men participate more in external activities
Education level strongly correlates with participation
Stark generational divides (e.g., 92% of youth vs 5.8% of seniors stream music)

Barriers to Participation
Key obstacles identified include:

Safety concerns due to armed violence
Poor information about available programs
Limited internet infrastructure
Concentration of activities among certain demographics
Limited variety of accessible cultural options

The research suggests that increasing cultural participation could help build community resilience, but requires addressing these systemic barriers through:

Improved communication about cultural opportunities
Better internet infrastructure
Enhanced safety measures around cultural venues
Targeted programs for underserved groups
Diversification of cultural offerings

This cultural analysis forms part of understanding how residents build resilience against the psychological impacts of violence, with cultural engagement identified as one potential protective factor alongside religious practice, social networks, and sports activities.
Short titleBuilding the Barricades
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date1/03/191/03/21

UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This project contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 1 - No Poverty
  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities

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