Urban Walkgraphies in the Confins of South America: creating clues for public policies with traditional communities that inhabit the margins of cities in Brazil and Argentina

The development model adopted by medium-sized cities in Latin America has resulted in the occupation of water body banks by traditional societies, including quilombolas, fisherwomen, riverside communities, and indigenous people. These communities perceive water as a source of renewal and a guarantee of survival. Our research aims to formulate public policy guidelines in collaboration with these communities, situated on the outskirts of medium-sized cities in the extremities of South America, where bodies of water simultaneously serve as borders and foundations. Our focus is on the cities of Marabá/BR, Pelotas/BR, and Comodoro Rivadavia/AR. Our methodological approach employs Urban Walkgraphy, which combines exploratory walks and cartography, establishing an organic methodology. Grounded in the pedagogy of reception, recognition, and sensitive analysis, this methodology integrates the knowledge of traditional communities in collaboration with researchers, supported by the development of the CaminhoVivo application. The interaction between researchers and traditional communities is enriched through exchanges of experiences in the field, as well as face-to-face and remote seminars. These interactions will occur in ahybrid environment, incorporating online platforms, applications, and public domain resources. We will present and publish the results in workshops involving civil servants and government representatives, aiming to transfer our findings to public policymakers. Additionally, the results will be disseminated through events and publications in indexed magazines, as well as exhibitions in cultural spaces and local schools. Our international research team comprises experts from various fields and collaborates with esteemed institutions such as UFPel, UNIFESSPA, and UNPSJB, in addition to the municipalities of Pelotas, Marabá, and the Municipality of Comodoro Rivadavia.