Methodology in Geography

Research projects:

 

Epistemology and the history of thought in Brazilian Geography

Description: Studies, evaluations about the different theories and methods of Geography in Brazil.

Professor in charge: Heinz Dieter Heidemann (heideman@usp.br)

 

Geography of orality – the recovery of oral history of traditional peoples in the state of São Paulo

Description: Traditional peoples, quilombolas, caiçaras, indigenous, among others, are marked by the presence of orality in the maintenance of their history and their social practices, as many authors, such as Antonio Carlos Diegues (2001, 2002, 2004), José Geraldo Marques (2001), Marta Vannucci (2002), André Alves (2004), Alpina Begossi (2004), Simone Rezende da Silva (2004), André de Castro C. Moreira (2001), Jean Hébette, Sônia Barbosa Magalhães and Maria Cristina Maneschy (2002), and José de Souza Martins (1997), pointed out in their reflections. Such traditional peoples do not live identical historical situations, but participate in similar dilemmas regarding the maintenance of their socio-spatial practices. In terms of Geography, we believe that the valuation of a spatial dimension, in which result the form of land appropriation, the dimension of the cyclical time in their socio-spatial practices, the meaning of the party in their beliefs and in the construction of sociability, the permanence of cronyism and the relationship of the neighbourhood, among other marks, are performed the following actions and activities: continuing education of the students group involved, from which will be required reading, debate, and systematisation of theoretical and historical texts dealing with dimensions of socio-spatial practices of traditional peoples and the dynamics of the contemporary world; systematisation of secondary sources, such as reports, photographs, satellite images, aerial photographs, maps relating such areas and traditional peoples involved in the project; performance of fieldwork, conducting interviews, collecting testimonies, applying questionnaires, composing photographic series, surveying documents in files.

Professor in charge: Julio Cesar Suzuki (jcsuzuki@usp.br)

 

Ontology in Geography and its empirical basis

Description: Studies on the main elements that form the foundations of ontological basis in Geography. The axes are the following: the urban space in different geographies; the technology in the relationship man/environment; cultural geography as identity and belonging of the man and society in relation to the territory; geography of communications; political geography and different power relations.

Professor in charge: Elvio Rodrigues Martins (elmartins@usp.br)