Peace and Violence in Brazil

“This a very welcome and long awaited book that helps us put in perspective the state of peace and violence in Brazil. This book is relevant to anyone engaged with Brazil and its social dynamics, as well as peace researchers interested in Southern perspectives of peace and violence.”

—Roberta Holanda Maschietto, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Portugal

“This book seeks to bring an interesting discussion on security issues with a special debate on violence in Brazil. It is a new and significant contribution that offers to the audience an overview focused on violent actors, organized crime, and its dynamics regarding the Brazilian context.”

—Marcial A. G. Suarez, Professor of Political Science at Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil

This edited volume examines how the multiple manifestations of social violence in Brazil impacts the building of a peaceful society. The chapters reflect on the role of state, organized crime and civil society. They provide a unique analysis of how the Brazilian state deals with criminal violence, but also finds challenges to comply with Sustainable Development Goal 16, to interdict police violence, and to provide an efficient gun policy. The book shows the agency of civil society in a violent society, in which NGOs and communities engage in key peace formation action, including advocacy for human rights and promoting arts. The overall aim of this book is to advance the research agenda regarding the intersections between peace, public security, and violence, under the lens of peace studies. In Brazil, the challenges to peace differ markedly from areas in regular conflict.

Marcos Alan Ferreira is an Associate Professor at Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Brazil, Visiting Professor at Universidad Núr, Bolivia, and Research Fellow at Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).