Identidades e violência urbana: representações sociais sobre o papel do Centro de Referência da Assistência Social-CRAS no bairro de São Sebastião (Abaetetuba/PA)

Abstract

The Albras/Alunorte Project is a Japanese venture located in the municipality of Barcarena, Pará, 37 km from Abaetetuba. In the late 1980s, we witnessed the emergence of the São Sebastião neighborhood in the Abaetetuba municipality due to the concentration of migrant families. In the early years, the neighborhood lacked basic infrastructure and the presence of the state, which contributed to it becoming one of the most violent areas in the municipality, primarily due to the involvement of adolescents and young people in gangs. The insecurity and fear experienced by residents due to the clashes between these groups, along with the segregation and stigmatization of the area, led to the establishment of the first Social Assistance Reference Center (CRAS) in the municipality. This research aims to understand how the industrialization process carried out by the Albras/Alunorte Project socially influenced the São Sebastião neighborhood, particularly in terms of identity and culture. The methodological approach is qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory, based on the application of semi-structured interviews with members of families who were victims of the gangs, members of families who were part of the gangs, and employees and former employees of the state involved in the establishment and implementation of the CRAS, as well as one of the founders of the São Sebastião neighborhood. The research is guided bibliographically by the works of Bauman (2005), Bourdieu (2002), Costa (2022), Cruz (2011), Harvey (1989), Hall (2006), Koga (2011), Lefebvre (2011), and Machado (2020). Thus, the research demonstrates how the Albras/Alunorte Industrial Complex directly influences the socio-territorial-cultural composition of the population in the formation of the São Sebastião neighborhood. Regarding demographic growth, the São Sebastião neighborhood quickly became interconnected with the urban fabric. However, this demographic expansion occurred unevenly, resulting in one of the most pronounced manifestations of social issues: urban violence. With the arrival of the Social Assistance Reference Center (CRAS) and later the Unified Arts and Sports Centers (CEUs), the contributions of these spaces through the services they provide to the community fostered not only a sense of belonging among residents but also a rediscovery of themselves as human beings and holders of their rights. Gradually, these institutions began to yield positive results, and the adolescents and young people who once gathered to "fight" among themselves started to come together for rehearsals and educational meetings, transforming a territory of violence into a territory of peace.