<i>Torcedores de futebol</i>: violence and public policies in Brazil before the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Abstract

The representation of Brazilian torcedores prevailing in Europe refers to the exuberance and the carnival. However, the Brazilian reality is somewhat different, although this aspect is predominant. After introducing the creation and evolution of torcidas organizadas, this paper explores the relationship between fans, the rise of violence in relation to the major cities' metropolization, the presence of violence in everyday life, the modes of thought of the police and the inefficiency of the judicial system. Finally, the paper analyses the fundamental transformation of public policies to reduce the phenomenon of violence, especially in view of the World Cup 2014.