Invisible cities, amazing people: Between self-management and resistance in Latin American peripheries

Abstract

Abstract This article analyzes how self-management and community leadership practices in informal settlements in Brazil and Mexico reveal the political potential of Latin American peripheries, often rendered invisible in dominant urban narratives. Drawing on a qualitative and collaborative approach, the study combines a bibliographic review, a documentary analysis, and the production of a participatory video in three contexts: Chico Dias (Macapá), Paraisópolis (São Paulo), and Senderos de San Isidro (Ciudad Juárez). These territories, marked by structural inequalities and state neglect, express both vulnerability and political invention. Participatory media is approached not merely as a methodological tool but as a political practice that enables the co-construction of territorial narratives and strengthens grassroots voices. The findings show that collective and solidarity-based practices transform urban life, reshape state-society relations, and propose new forms of local governance.