The Infrastructure of Criminal Governance: Networking, Social Capital, and Security in Rio de Janeiro.

Prof. Desmond Arias
Assistant Professor of Government at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York

Drug traffickers dominate the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, providing resources to favela residents and engaging in extensive conflicts with police and other traffickers. This talk will examine the problem of violence in Rio today and look at how interconnections between traffickers, state agents, and civic actors perpetuate criminality and undermine democratic governance in the city.

Desmond Arias teaches on comparative crime and policing. His research on criminal organization, human rights, and democratic order is based on field work in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between 1996 and 2002 where he was affiliated with PUC-Rio and IUPERJ. In 2001, he served as a consultant for Viva Rio, a local NGO, on police reform. Prior to coming to John Jay he taught at Oberlin College and Beloit College.

When: Tuesday, December 10 at 5:00 P.M.
Where: Room 9206/9207
The CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Avenue
(Between 34th and 35th Street)

To reserve, send e-mail to brazilproject@gc.cuny.edu or leave message at (212) 817-2096