Os Espaços insulares de Belém: usos e consumos da natureza na Amazônia metropolitana e suas contradições socioespaciais

Abstract

Based on the theoretical framework of the social production of space, the thesis addresses the society-nature relationship in the metropolitan Amazon and its socio-spatial contradictions. The islands of Caratateua, Cotijuba, Paquetá, Combu, and Grande were chosen as empirical references for analysis, as they combine rural, urban, and hybrid characteristics, each with its economic, environmental, and historical particularities. Additionally, they were selected due to the state and market policies directed towards them, as well as the (dis)encounters, struggles, and resistances of the social groups existing within them. The main objective is to analyze the social production of the island space in Belém based on the uses and consumptions of and in nature, as expressed in policies and actions that promote leisure, tourism, and real estate developments. It is argued that these relationships meet specific metropolitan demands, both local and distant, with aspects of capitalist reproduction and domination, which are sometimes more subtle. Insularity, at times, poses itself as resistance to non-local interests and values, while at other times, it aligns with them. From these contradictions and conflicts, insurgent movements of belonging and recognition of differences emerge, suggesting alternative and more creative possibilities, along with contestable stances regarding ongoing hegemonic processes. Methodologically, the following procedures were adopted: a) bibliographic research about theoretical approaches related to socially produced space, social relations of production, and daily life; b) bibliographic research concerning the history and geography of the analyzed empirical realities; c) analysis of primary and secondary data collected from documentary sources; d) systematic observation of the landscape in the field and on virtual messaging platforms involving the analyzed environments and subjects; and e) semi-structured interviews with representatives of public sector associated with district administration and tourism and leisure public policies, with long-time residents holding political and community leadership roles, and with both new and old residents engaged in commercial activities. The results show that, due to the metropolization of Belém since 1960, urban processes and their economic, social, and environmental repercussions advance differentially on the island spaces. Thus, the new ways of conceiving some of them gradually transform the lives of their inhabitants, who become influenced by the presence of exogenous agents and the State, and by different interests regarding leisure and tourism uses, making them prone to new economic aspirations and spatial disputes. There are also those directly affected by urban expansion, giving rise to neighborhoods where residential settlements predominate, and the associated issues lead to struggles for both permanence and dignified access to public services. These struggles coexist with the presence of actions from the State and real estate capital. In others, permanent and occasionally used residences alternate, intertwining and/or competing with inns and second homes intended for tourism purposes. Finally, there are those in which, despite annihilations and invisibilities, traditional riverine daily life persists in the constructions, territorial configuration, and emotional and identity bonds, strongly linked to the rivers and the forest. These differentiations allowed the recognition of an island typology for the municipality of Belém, which was compared with existing planning and management perspectives conceived for the specificities of these spaces.