Governamentalidade em áreas protegidas: análise comparativa entre os Parques Nacionais de Tortuguero (Costa Rica) e do Cabo Orange (Brasil)

Abstract

Protected areas have become central instruments of contemporary environmental policies, particularly in contexts marked by territorial disputes, economic pressures, and socioenvironmental inequalities. In this scenario, the problem arises of understanding how practices of governmentality are manifested in these spaces, influencing the relationships between the State, international organizations, economic agents, and local populations. This study aims to analyze the political rationalities and processes of subjectivation produced and mobilized within environmental protection policies in protected areas. To this end, the empirical focus is on two National Parks recognized as Ramsar sites: Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica and Cabo Orange National Park in Brazil. The theoretical framework articulates Michel Foucault’s concept of governmentality with decolonial approaches, enabling an analysis of how different rationalities of government are expressed in environmental management. The research adopts a qualitative approach, using a multiple case study strategy supported by discourse analysis, comparative analysis, and fieldwork. The results indicate the existence of distinct political rationalities: in Tortuguero, governmentality is characterized by systematic data production, the centrality of tourism, and the active role of non-governmental organizations; in Cabo Orange, governmentality is marked by the absence of continuous monitoring, scarcity of data, and fragmented State action. The study contributes to expanding the understanding of the relationships between power, territory, and conservation in Latin American contexts.