The geography of territorial conflicts in the brazilian semiarid region

Author(s)

José Carlos Dantas

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Presidente Prudente. 2022-01-03.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia. Presidente Prudente
• Defense date: 2021-12-15
• Advisor: Carlos Alberto Feliciano

Abstract

Territorial conflict is an inherent characteristic of the historical process of territorial formation in Brazil. In the Brazilian semiarid region, these conflicts have manifested themselves under different characteristics throughout the history of the region through territorial dispute. We believe that territorial conflicts in the Brazilian semiarid region are products of the various forms of territorialization undertaken by different subjects positioned in distinct social classes. Therefore, in this thesis we seek to identify and analyze the territorial conflicts in the Brazilian semiarid region from the understanding of the processes of dispute over territory in its various dimensions and by different subjects with antagonistic interests. For this, we try to understand the territorial conflicts in the semi-arid region throughout its various historical periods, each with its current social structure, generated in the movement of territorial formation. We rely on bibliographies about the theme, documental sources, secondary data and field work to reflect on the object of this research. In this way, we analyze how conflicts are reconfigured in response to the transformations that have occurred in the political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental aspects of the region's social structure in each period. We believe that the actions of violence practiced by the dominant classes since the European invasion of indigenous territories until the current period of capitalist expansion are confronted with the actions of resistance practiced by the diverse subjects belonging to the peasantry of the region. These actions translate into different forms of territorialization of the subjects and produce the territorial conflicts that we study, with the final result being the materialization of the territoriality of the subject or group that territorializes itself. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/12292-0 - The geography of the territorial conflicts of Brazilian semi-arid in the 21st century
• Grantee: José Carlos Dantas
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate