Abstract
This article presents and discusses the interactions between a group of young activists and members of a neighbourhood association in the outskirts of São Paulo. The data derives from a multi-sited ethnographic research conducted between 2010 and 2013 in five associative spaces. An association dedicated to the practice of amateur soccer (a.k.a "floodplain soccer") and samba music was chosen for this article. In this association, a group of non-affiliated young militants tried to develop political action by organizing soirées. By presenting descriptive scenes, the article discusses the relationships between these militants and the "brothers" who lead the association. The interactions among the agents that form this associative space are thus described, indicating its prospects for political action in an environment marked by the prevalence of asymmetrical relations.
Key words:
Associative life; Ethnography; Outskirts; Youth; Politics