"Stop Killing Us," Notes on the literary representations of police violence in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro and the French Banlieues: a comparative analysis.

Abstract

This article investigates how writers and filmmakers from the urban periphery—in the French banlieues and Brazilian favelas—address the issue of police violence. First, it analyzes how these artistic productions problematize the presence of the punitive State and give voice to lived experiences of residents in marginalized territories. Second, it examines the representations these intellectuals offer of social conflicts, which emerge from an internal perspective and often contrast with dominant interpretations disseminated by political and media discourse. Thus, the aim is to understand to what extent such works contribute to a deeper understanding of the reality experienced by peripheral residents. Finally, the article questions whether, beyond differences linked to distinct socio-cultural contexts, differences are also observed in the aesthetic choices and narrative strategies between French and Brazilian artists. By crossing these dimensions, the research proposes an innovative comparative dialogue on art, violence, and urban marginality in the Global South and Global North.