Culture, crime and conflict: artistic antidotes to violence in Rio de Janeiro

This paper demonstrates how cultural initiatives can effectively reduce violence in the contexts of crime and armed conflict, using as example the case of the Cultural Group Afro Reggae in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Rio's violence has been referred to as an armed conflict, due to its magnitude and to the grievances that motivate it, principally the marginalization and neglect of favela populations. Like other arts-based programs, Afro Reggae prevents crime by transforming individuals, offering "at-risk" youth jobs and a powerful identity, and contributes to the resolution of the conflict by transforming contexts, giving voice to oppressed populations and creating neutral spaces for encounter among conflicting parties.