A fala do medo no bairro de Capim Macio

Abstract

The fear of being a victim of violence and crime triggers diverse social practices, reorganizes the public space, shapes social interactions, legitimizes undemocratic institutional actions, sti matizes the people, confuses crime with other urban issues, such as inadequate garbage ma gement, prostitution and the existence of homeless people. This being situation impacts the wellin cities, the strengthening of democracy and human rights, the reach of a more egalitarian andfraternal urban society, all reasons why it should be investigated. In this context, in Capim Macio, a middle class neighborho and mediumod of the city of Natal/RN and field of this research, large sized buildings coexist, having high walls, electric fences and electronic monit paces ring systems in common, with most streets having little movement of pedestrians and few public s , such as squares and sports courts. On the other hand, the neighborhood presents a Strong incidence of private spaces, such as supermarkets and educational institutions. Based on the described context, this study seeks, in accordance with Pierre Bourdieu' s habitus theory, to answer: "How are the social practices of the community leaders of Capim Macio structured from the fear of crime?". This is a predominantly qualitative research of descriptive character, which is explained through the chosen theoretical framework. By means of observational and documentary analyses, in addition to the application of semistructured interviews with leaders of the Residents' Associations and Security Councils, it was possible to extract the socio ospatial and criminal processes developed in the neighborhood and the relations of residents with vi lence, crime and fear, exploring the relationships of the habit up us of the residents who make the groups and the various fields that operate in the neighborhood.