Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / A dissertaÃÃo ora apresentada consubstancia um esforÃo de compreensÃo do universo dos habitantes das ruas em Fortaleza, ao longo de dois anos, implicando um processo de redefiniÃÃes do objeto, a partir das interpelaÃÃes do prÃprio campo. O trabalho circunscreve, como eixo investigativo, as trajetÃrias e percursos de pessoas que habitam as ruas, enfocando processos de desfiliaÃÃo e refiliaÃÃo, o habitus do ser âmorador de ruaâ, as exclusÃes e inclusÃes precÃrias, as discriminaÃÃes e preconceitos, as concepÃÃes e valores assumidos por esses personagens, particularmente, as concepÃÃes e atitudes face ao HIV/Aids. O foco de anÃlise terminou por incidir na construÃÃo dos processos identitÃrios em suas trajetÃrias e percursos. O adentrar nesse universo peculiar exigiu a construÃÃo de uma etnografia das ruas, vivenciada na PraÃa da GentilÃndia e quatro casas de acolhida, buscando acompanhar as rotas dos personagens constitutivos do campo investigativo. Este trabalho etnogrÃfico foi vivenciado de um lugar peculiar que possibilitou viver e sentir, na âprÃpria peleâ, a condiÃÃo do âmorador de ruaâ, ao ser confundido, no exercÃcio de pesquisa com os prÃprios sujeitos, cujo universo buscava compreender. O processo investigativo, processualmente construÃdo, exigiu movimentar aportes teÃricos com base em uma permanente pesquisa bibliogrÃfica, possibilitando ampliar e reconfigurar teorizaÃÃes, em coadunÃncia com as prÃprias configuraÃÃes empÃricas. Utilizou-se o conceito de desfiliaÃÃo social de Castel (1997), caracterizando o duplo desligamento do indivÃduo do mercado de trabalho e das relaÃÃes familiares e, a noÃÃo de estigma de Goffman (1988), que aparece como estratÃgia de classificaÃÃo dos indivÃduos nas interaÃÃes cotidianas atravÃs da diferenÃa, em relaÃÃo aos atributos considerados normais. A ideia de refugo humano de Bauman (2005), nomeando os seres excessivos e redundantes da modernidade a vivenciar situaÃÃes-limite e, a perspectiva desconstrutivista de identidades de Hall (2006) sÃo outros aportes teÃricos usados no trabalho. De fato, os habitantes das ruas vivenciam processos de exclusÃo e vulnerabilidade que perpassam a infÃncia, adolescÃncia e idade adulta, suas trajetÃrias revelam situaÃÃes de pobreza, destituiÃÃo de direitos e rupturas familiares. ComeÃam a trabalhar cedo para ajudar no sustento da casa, com experiÃncias no trabalho informal, no comÃrcio de bens ilÃcitos, no trÃfico de drogas, realizaÃÃo de assaltos e outras formas de economia urbana nas periferias da cidade. Em seu nomadismo urbano e experiÃncia de vida, desenvolvem formas e mecanismos de inclusÃo precÃrios, trabalho informal como catadores de resÃduos sÃlidos, flanelinhas, âbicosâ na construÃÃo civil, prÃtica de delitos, adesÃo a abrigos e casas de acolhida. / This dissertation supports an effort for the understanding of the universe populated by street dwellers in Fortaleza by means of a two-year research encompassing a process of redefinitions of the object from interpretations arising from the field. The work includes as its investigative axis the trajectories of people inhabiting the streets of Fortaleza focusing on processes of disaffiliation and new affiliation, the âhabitusâ that imprint the âstreet dwellerâ, precarious exclusions and inclusions, discriminations, prejudices, conceptions and values adopted by these characters inhabiting the streets and, especially, conceptions and attitudes in face of the HIV/AIDS. The main point of the analysis ended up focusing upon the construction of identity-based processes found at the trajectories of the streets dwellers. To enter this universe required the buildup of a âstreet ethnographyâ that was carried up in the Gentilandia Square and four Homes in a period of 18 months trying to follow the routes of constituting characters of the investigation field. The ethnographic work carried out from a special place allowed the researcher to feel the street dwellerâs condition on âhis very skinâ considering that he was in the course of the research confounded with those subjects whom he was trying to understand. The investigative process in the streets, clerically constructed, led the researcher to approach theoretical support based on a permanent biographical search which allowed amplifying and reconfiguring theorizations in accordance with his own empirical ideas. Castelâs (1997) concept of social de-affiliation was used here to characterize the individualâs double alienation from the labor market on the one hand and familyâs ties on the other, and Goffmanâs (1988) concept of stigma which becomes evident as a classification strategy for individuals within daily interactions, emphasizing difference in relation to features that have been considered normal. Baumanâs (2005) idea of human waste that nominates human beings, plagued by excesses and redundancies from the modern age, and who live at the brink of inescapable situations, and Hallâs (2006) deconstructivist perspective of identities are other theoretical approaches used by this work. Indeed, street dwellers, that experience processes of exclusion and are subjected to risks going from infancy up to adolescence and adult age, reveal through their lives poverty-ridden situations, negation of rights and family ruptures. They start working very early in life in order to help feed the family by doing odd jobs, trading illicit merchandise, trafficking drugs, perpetrating assaults, besides engaging in other urban economic activities in poor areas of the city. By their urban mobility and experience of life, they develop forms and mechanisms of precarious inclusions such as working as collectors of solid wastes, keeping guard of cars in the streets, taking temporary jobs in the construction of buildings and houses, practicing illicit acts and resorting to shelters and homes.