Cosmovisões da natureza: um estudo sobre as representações sociais de natureza envolvidas na proteção da Lagoa de Cima - Campos dos Goytacazes - RJ

Abstract

This study focuses on the relationship between Men and Nature, emphasizing the issue regarding the protection of Nature. Therefore, it is based on the Nature s Social Representations concept, in order to analyze the different use proposals and biodiversity meanings in Lagoa de Cima, Campos dos Goytacazes RJ, which are material and symbolically disputed among Artisanal Fishermen and by the Municipality Public Power. In this sense, it is one of the main objectives to think how the distinct Nature appropriations performed by these social actors are related to their specific Nature Social Representations. They also reflect their world standpoints and, overall, their perception regarding Nature. Nevertheless, the study also aims to evaluate the reach of the Nature conservation project formulated by the Public Power the creation of Environmental Protection Area of Lagoa de Cima regarding the representation of natural resources, mainly, the one designed by the Artisanal Fishermen. The methodology of this thesis is inserted in a qualitative analysis of the social phenomena, using both the unstructured interview and participant observation. The choice of this approach is necessary once it better suits the study, because, it makes possible the analysis of issues that can not be quantified, which are sentiments, motivations, values and attitudes, which compose the Social Representations. From a theoretical standpoint, there is a brief review regarding the concept of Social Representations, based on authors like Durkheim (1983), Mauss (1974) and Moscovici (2003), also the concept of Social Representations regarding Nature is analyzed from Godelier (1981). In the sequence of the study, an analysis on the environmental preservation practices was conducted, mainly about the conservation units, aiming to the understanding of the relationship among these units and the population that historically inhabited the protection areas, supporting this analysis on authors, such as Diegues (1998) and Acselrad (2001).