ABSTRACT
I have intentionally avoided in this book the use of the English term “slums” or any similar term in other languages, such as favelas in Portuguese, or the Spanish denominations of tugurios, or villas miseria, because of their negative and derogative connotations. These terms were originally employed by wealthier groups, and also by institutions and academics to describe poorer neighborhoods in inner cities or peripheral new settlements, which presented different standards of living and cultural values. As is clear throughout the book, informal settlements have the potential of becoming satisfactory places to live; a change in attitude towards them may begin by referring to them in a positive manner.
