Social mapping and environmental education: dialogues from participatory mapping in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

This article illustrates the steps taken to enact a new methodology for participatory social mapping by the Environmental Education, Communications and the Arts (GPEA) Research Group of the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT). The aim of Social Mapping is to record the identities, territories and socio-environmental conflicts experienced by social groups, based on their own namings and narratives, rather than relying on those more typically generated or provided by researchers or theorists. As such, it offers an important dialogical pathway for environmental education practices, in that it highlights the intrinsic relationship between culture and nature, and reinforces the understanding that the loss of one implies the disappearance of the other.

Keywords:

• Environmental education
• social mapping
• Pantanal
• Brazil

Notes on Contributors

Regina Silva, Michelle Jaber and Michèle Sato are professors at the Institute of Education, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Brazil. They are members of the Environmental Education, Communication and Ar Research Group (www.ufmt.br/gpea) and develop educational activities with social movements, mainly throughpopular education.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 These are black communities, descendants of runaway slaves who only recently had their territories and culture recognized.

2 These are communities that inhabit a fragile ecosystem region with low hills or slopes (morro) which gives the genesis of the identity “morroquiana”.

3 Benzedeiro are people able to bless others using roots, leaves, water, or simply prayers.