Configurações socioespaciais de diversidade e vitalidade: um estudo da rua Santa Juliana (Sete Lagoas, MG)

Abstract

The core purpose of this study is to present, based on theoretical markers laid down by Jane Jacobs and Pierre Bourdieu, research results developed in order to investigate relationships between the space and the social action instances. The object of its investigation is a street in the periphery of the town of Sete Lagoas (MG) that is known for its marginality despite its high potential for dynamism, diversity and vitality. We grew interested in investigating what this bricoleur could tell us about the construction of socio-spatial dynamics where creativity, diversity and difference could become factors in socio-economic development. How did its main social actors articulate within its dynamics? What was the role, what were the ways of acting, and what kinds of capital - economic, social, cultural, symbolic - did they mobilize in their daily lives? In other words, what epistemological, theoretical and methodological contributions could they offer us regarding the analysis and construction of socio-spatial dynamics that would lead to diversity and innovation? Based on these issues, our objective was to: 1. describe the public space under investigation by taking into account the prevalent conditions of diversity, dynamicity, innovation and vitality, as proposed by Jacobs (2011); 2. analyze the socio-economic and spatial dynamics of the street being studied, with an emphasis on the everyday forms of social mobilization and control of the various kinds of capitals - economic, social, cultural, symbolic - transacted by the main actors involved in it (Bourdieu, 2008); 3. investigate the role, the ways of acting and the influence caused by different actors on the socio-economic and spatial space studied from the perspective of Bourdieus (2008) theoretical framework. In addition to Jacobs (2011) and Bourdieu (2008 ) contributions it should be noted those brought by Santos (2014 ), especially in the understanding of elements involved in the urban space investigated. In methodological terms, the research that supported the results of this study can be characterized as a qualitative case study that was developed through a method inspired by the Grounded Theory and involved document analysis, direct observations and semi-structured, in-depth interviews mediated by photo language technique with residents, entrepreneurs, workers, passersby as well as with people who dwell in neighborhoods adjacent to the street investigated; authorities and public managers; urban planners and opinion makers who live either on that street or in the city. The N-vivo 8.0 qualitative data treatment software was used to analyze the data that was collected. From the set of data that was analyzed it became clear that the different social agents involved in the dynamics of Santa Juliana street articulate themselves by mobilizing different cultural, social, economic and symbolic, as well as spatial, kinds of capital. Similarly, different characteristics of diversity and vitality are associated with different ways to mobilize the kinds of capital involved. In other words, groupings of specific social agents, mobilizing distinct kinds of capital - economic, cultural, symbolic and social will condition and be conditioned by equally specific settings and spatial capitals that will lead to dynamics that favor diversity and vitality to a greater or lesser extent.