Favela Digital: The other side of technology

"The idea for this book came up during the fieldwork I did in Vitória, Brazil for my doctoral dissertation. My research aims to understand the experience of marginalized people in community technology centers and how this experience informs the ways we think about what constitutes "empowerment" and "disempowerment" vis-à-vis technology. The book "Digital Favela - The other side of technology" is an opportunity to show, in photos, the reality I lived in during six months visiting the marginalized communities of São Benedito, Bairro da Penha, Itararé, Gurigica, Jaburu e Consolação. Along with the team from Varal Communications Agency, I captured the everyday life in the favelas and how the residents use digital technology. My goal with this book is to make people aware that alternative use of such technologies, in these areas of social abandonment, is legitimate and deserves our attention. The photos are followed by testimonials given by residents, my own observations, or parts of academic papers. The texts critically engage the reader with social issues of technology use in favelas and in society in general. The book is also a way to highlight themes addressed by Social Informatics in order to trigger discussions involving the general public. It amplifies critical issues of the life in the favelas for everyone, including academics". David Nemer