Conceito de ambiente e conflito: diagnóstico da interconceitualidade por meio da articulação de filtros teóricos e interface prática

Abstract

This doctoral thesis proposes a diagnostic of the interconceptuality of the concept of environment in its interface with environmental conflict, through the formulation and application of theoretical filters designed for analysis, and the subsequent articulation of this diagnosis with the investigation of a practical case involving the Morro São João Quilombola Community, located in Santa Rosa do Tocantins/TO, Brazil.The research begins with an in-depth review of theories related to the concept, from classical approaches by Aristotle and Plato to contemporary perspectives from authors such as José D’Assunção Barros, Alexander Pfänder, and Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. Based on this theoretical foundation, three analytical filters were formulated, which make up the diagnostic tool of the thesis: the first employs the ‘conceptual chord’ metaphor to examine the relationship between the understanding and extension of concepts; the second is based on a methodological transposition of Deleuze and Guattari’s ‘conceptual junctions’ to analyze the dynamics and interconnection of concepts in response to problems; and the third addresses the problematization of the concept of environment from Deleuze and Guattari’s philosophical perspective, which distinguishes concepts from scientific functions. The research demonstrates that the concept of environment, although broadly defined in Brazilian law (such as in the National Environmental Policy and the 1988 Federal Constitution), still faces conceptual tensions and practical challenges. Regarding the critical analysis of the conceptual construction in Brazil—tracing back to thinkers such as José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva and to conservationist and preservationist currents—the study highlights how the dialectic between rational protection and aesthetic enjoyment of nature has shaped legislation and environmental debate in the country. The thesis also explores the emergence of the socio-environmental movement and environmental justice, which introduced into the debate the need to address environmental issues alongside social equity and the defense of the rights of traditional peoples and communities. This theoretical articulation is fundamental to understanding environmental conflicts, which are analyzed as a multidimensional phenomena intrinsically linked to territorial, distributive, and spatial disputes. The practical application of the diagnostic filters is carried out through the analysis of the environmental conflict involving the Morro São João Quilombola Community in Santa Rosa do Tocantins. It contextualizes the formation of the Brazilian land structure and how these historical institutions still influence the current land reality and conflicts. The constitutional right to Quilombola land ownership is examined as a legal-environmental concept with a distinct matrix from common individual property, serving as a ‘bridge’ between different fields of knowledge (legal, geographical, anthropological) to address practical problems. The conclusion asserts that the concept of environment, in its interconceptuality, is a dynamic process of adaptation and reformulation, driven by the complexity of real environmental problems. The proposed diagnostic serves as a tool to highlight the inconsistencies, tensions, and dynamics inherent in the theoretical and practical aspects discussed.