Memórias do fazer cidade : lutas por direitos na formação do bairro Betânia

Abstract

The objective of this dissertation is to analyse the formation trajectory of a specific neighbourhood named Betânia, located in Belo Horizonte, the state capital of Minas Gerais. The analysis is grounded in the concepts of "Making the city" advocated by Agier (2015). With this objective in mind, I will research the construction history of Betânia in conjunction with the history of the state capital, while also examining the influence of the Catholic Church. However, accounts of residents' struggles are presented to illustrate social conflicts for greater rights and inclusion on the city's map. At the end, the social impacts of land irregularities in the neighbourhood will be examined. To emphasise the experiences of residents in ethnographic contexts, my own life trajectory and interactions with the community will be used as mediators. The field of ethnography is contextualised by delineating the paths followed in the research and adjusting the methodology as new objectives and challenges emerge. The dynamics of urban areas and evolving social circumstances require continuous methodological adaptations. I shall apply these adaptations based on the interactions in the field and the constant review of the paradigms acquired through my studies in law and anthropology.

It is important to emphasise that Betânia has intricate connections with various aspects of social life, making it challenging to infer complete causal relationships between events. However, the ethnographic method allows us to understand influences that would be invisible in statistical models. Consequently, the dissertation does not seek to provide a comprehensive overview of Betânia. From a specific perspective, the main goal is to comprehend the relevant aspects of social reality in the neighbourhood during the research and performance process.