Territory in Dispute: Youth Experiences in the Engenho Velho da Federação Neighborhood

Abstract

This article analyzes the social dynamics of Engenho Velho da Federação, a peripheral neighborhood in Salvador, with an emphasis on youth experiences amid urban transformations and the presence of drug trafficking. Through an ethnographic approach and interviews with fifteen students from Colégio Estadual Henriqueta Martins Catarino, located in the neighborhood, the study investigates how young people negotiate their presence in the territory, dealing with territorial and symbolic disputes, violence, and limited opportunities. The research also explores the relationship between drug trafficking and local forms of sociability, examining how these dynamics shape youth trajectories, identity construction, and possibilities for agency within the community. Additionally, it examines the role of religious institutions and intergenerational relationships in mediating conflicts and producing alternative narratives and experiences. Thus, this study seeks to understand the multiple challenges faced by peripheral youth and the everyday strategies of resistance and belonging in the territory.