Favelas that (are) counted:

data production as a political tool

Abstract

This research encompasses the relationship between data production and peripheral territories. Over the past two decades, collectives in favelas and peripheries have been increasingly mobilizing to generate data highlighting their centrality in the repertoires of action within these territories. Drawing on social studies of quantification, statistical methods go beyond merely counting, measuring, and describing social issues; they also serve as a way to shape social and political life. But how does this unfold in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro? In an attempt to answer this question, an analysis of experiences surrounding data production in Complexo da Maré and Jacarezinho will be presented. Based on this analysis, I conclude that data production in the favela is not only a mobilization of statistical and/or academic operations but is also a political tool to address their demands and construct an image detached from the negative narratives historically attributed to favelas and their inhabitants.