GEOPAUTA ISSN: 2594-5033 [email protected] Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia Brasil Ferraz 1 http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0137-3787, Ana Emília de Quadros Small towns in the southwest Bahia identity territory GEOPAUTA, vol. 4, no. 2, 2020, -June, pp. 31-52 Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia Brasil DOI: https://doi.org/10.22481/rg.v4i2.5958 Available in: https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=574363604002 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System Redalyc More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America and the Caribbean, Spain and Journal's webpage in redalyc.org Portugal Project academic non-profit, developed under the open access initiative Volume 4, nº. 2, 2020 ISSN: 2594-5033 http://periodicos2.uesb.br/index.php/geo DOI: https://doi.org/10.22481/rg.v4i2.5958 Small towns in the southwest Bahia identity territory Pequeños pueblos en el territorio de identidad del suroeste de Bahía Cidades pequenas no Território de Identidade do Sudoeste Baiano Ana Emília de Quadros Ferraz 1 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0137-3787 1 PhD and Post- Doctorate in Geography from Sergipe’s Federal University - Brazil; Master in Social Sciences from PUC –SP. Graduation in Geography from Bahia’s Southwest State University - UESB. [email protected] – She works at Bahia’s Southwest State University - UESB - Brazil Abstract The topic is developed in the Southwest Bahia’s Identity Territory (TISB) and makes an approach to small towns. The territories are heterogeneous, and also the cities. For that, it was decided to conduct a survey in twenty-three cities. Inequalities are remarkable. However, there are similarities not only restricted to population’s, but also to socioeconomic aspects. Represented as concrete spaces, lived fully on a daily basis, small cities are revealed in the research carried out to young residents. Among several aspects, the residents’ view of the city. It is clear that a human being can only intervene in a space, if recognized as a social construction. The individual needs to know well the place where he/she lives to act as a transforming agent. Keywords: Small towns. Identity Territory. Geography. Resumen El tema se contextualiza en el Territorio de Identidad del Sur oeste de Bahía (TISB) y hace un acercamiento sobre pequeña ciudad. Los territorios son heterogéneos, como lo son los municipios. Por lo tanto, se decidió realizar una encuesta en veintitrés ciudades, consideradas pequeñas. Las desigualdades son sorprendentes, sin embargo, hay similitudes que no se limitan al aspecto de la población, sino también a el socioeconómico. Como espacios concretos, experimentados a diario, las ciudades pequeñas se revelan en investigaciones realizadas como jóvenes. Se abordaron varios aspectos y expresaron la opinión de los residentes sobre la ciudad. Se entiende que solo se puede intervenir en el espacio, cuando se lo reconoce como una construcción social y que es necesario conocer el lugar donde se vive para actuar como un agente que transforma una determinada realidad. Palabras llave: ciudad pequeña. Territorio de identidad. Geografía Resumo A temática se contextualiza no Território de Identidade do Sudoeste Baiano (TISB) e faz uma abordagem sobre cidade pequena. Os territórios são heterogêneas, assim como são os municípios. Assim, optou-se pela realização de uma pesquisa sobre vinte e três cidades, consideradas pequenas. As desigualdades são marcantes, contudo existem semelhanças que não se restringem ao aspecto populacional mas, também, socioeconômico. Enquanto espaços concretos, vividos cotidianamente, as pequenas cidades são reveladas Geopauta, Vitória da Conquista, ISSN: 2594-5033, V. 4, n. 2, 2020, (p. 31-52) http://periodicos2.uesb.br/index.php/geo This is an open access article under the Creative Commons license from CC BY 3131 Small towns in the southwest Bahia identity territory FERRAZ, A. E. de Q. nas pesquisas realizadas com jovens. Vários aspectos foram abordados e expressam o olhar do morador acerca da cidade. Entende-se que só se pode intervir no espaço, quando é reconhecido como uma construção social e que é preciso conhecer o lugar onde se vive para atuar como agente transformador de determinada realidade. Palavras - chave: Cidade pequena. Território de Identidade. Geografia. Received: 04/20/2020 Accepted for publication: 30/06/2020 Published on: 08/07/2020 Introdução Although the study of small towns is challenging, it feels stimulating to share research experiences carried out in cities this size. Along the article, the scope of work carried out is contextualized, a brief debate about the small towns is presented, and aspects of everyday lives are analyzed. Few aspects of the Southwest Bahia Identity Territory Bahia’s State Identity Territories were defined, in 2007, by the Economic Superintendence and Bahia’s Social Studies (SEI, 2018). Currently, this regionalization serves as a basis for public policies implemented at the state’s level. Again, this regionalization was used in this work, as it is agreed with Santos, D. (2018) when he clarifies that, the region’s definition implies the existence of a thematic outline, and subsidizes the geographic discourse. In the author's words: Reaffirming the definition of region, regardless of the subject's epistemological explanation, implies the existence of a thematic cutout by the observer. Likewise, it is also worth remembering that the existence of mountainous or flat, forested or desert, urban or agrarian regions or any other boundaries’ forms to identify the territory can only happen if we look at our eyes. As, in the end, nothing prevents a city from being surrounded by a forest or being located on a mountain. At this point the perceived and ordered become discourse or, still, that landscape and territory become region, in other words, the geographic discourse itself (SANTOS, D., 2018, p. 51). According to this subdivision, there are twenty-seven Identity Territories in Bahia’s State, as shown in Map 1. These presents the state divided into territories. Still, we give emphasis Bahia’s Southwest. Geopauta, Vitória da Conquista, ISSN: 2594-5033 V. 4, n. 2, 2020, (p. 31-52) http://periodicos2.uesb.br/index.php/geo This is an open access article under the Creative Commons license from CC BY 3232 Small towns in the southwest Bahia identity territory FERRAZ, A. E. de Q. Map 1 - Map of Bahia’s State, divided by identity territories, taking into consideration the Identity Territory of Bahia’s Southwest, 2016 Source: FERRAZ, Ana Emília de Quadros et al., 2016. These territories are not homogeneous and express the heterogeneity found in Bahia's State. Thus, according to Ritter (2011), it is difficult, within the scope of difference, to establish a: [...] criteria to identify and spatialize the “territory’s identity” or in other words, the “territory of a particular identity”. Finally, how to define practical purposes in an unreal homogeneous space. In a continuous shape to increase heterogeneity; and how to materialize the “territory” as a responsive scaling planning unit for medium and long term policies, when the spontaneous paths point to a multi-territoriality (RITTER, 2011, p. 107). Remarkably, it stands out the weaknesses in this regionalization. “Identity Territories” is one idea that it receives. However, these “Identity Territories” receive criticism from researchers, because of their weaknesses. Though the debate’s relevance is taken into consideration, it was not the main goal of this research to discuss these Geopauta, Vitória da Conquista, ISSN: 2594-5033 V. 4, n. 2, 2020, (p. 31-52) http://periodicos2.uesb.br/index.php/geo This is an open access article under the Creative Commons license from CC BY 3333 Small towns in the southwest Bahia identity territory FERRAZ, A. E. de Q. debates as a criteria, processes and consequences of such regionalization. Therefore, only the territorial section, pre-marked through Bahia State’s government, was used as the area covered by this thesis. Yet, part of the citizens are not treated as a homogeneous unit, as Santos M. (2004) mentioned. Hence, there is no homogeneity in the space. A heterogeneity’s expression can be seen when analyzing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Bahia’s state, divided by Identity Territories. According to SEI (2013), Bahia has a GDP - Gross domestic product (in 2013) of approximately, R $ 204 billion. TISB (Bahia’s State Identity Territories) GDP is around R$ 7 billion, contemplated as sixth largest in Bahia. This figure represents only 3.5% of state's GDP and is below the figures from other territories such as: Metropolitano de Salvador (43.4%), Portal do Sertão (7.1%), Bacia do Rio Grande (5.2%) Litoral Sul (4.7%) and Litoral Norte (3.9%) represented in (Table 1). This situation demonstrates a huge economic and social disparity, within the state. Table 1 – Bahia’s Identity Territories, Bahia’s GDP by territory, and full scope of percentage’s participation, laid out in decreasing order, 2013 Identity Territory GDP (2013) Percentage Participation Metropolitano de Salvador 88.604.433.058 43,4% Portal do Sertão 14.528.442.740 7,1% Bacia do Rio Grande 10.564.216.579 5,2% Litoral Sul 9.591.435.993 4,7% Litoral Norte e Agreste Baiano 7.971.265.164 3,9% Sudoeste Baiano 7.232.334.791 3,5% Recôncavo 5.942.814.587 2,9% Baixo Sul 5.840.811.443 2,9% Extremo Sul 5.637.057.822 2,7% Costa do Descobrimento 5.003.290.243 2,4% Sertão do São Francisco 4.514.490.034 2,2% Sertão Produtivo 4.137.281.355 2,0% Sisal 3.857.083.550 1,9% Médio Rio de Contas 3.577.651.657 1,7% Semiárido Nordeste II 2.803.317.489 1,4% Chapada Diamantina 2.627.172.192 1,3% Irecê 2.603.925.095 1,3% Bacia do Rio Corrente 2.579.115.183 1,3% Velho Chico 2.403.357.551 1,2% Piemonte Norte do Itapicuru 2.161.312.226 1,1% Vale do Jiquiriçá 2.127.465.259 1,0% Piemonte do Paraguaçu 2.052.115.078 1,0% Médio Sudoeste da Bahia 2.001.387.414 1,0% Itaparica 1.817.177.809 0,9% Bacia do Jacuípe 1.799.490.180 0,9% Piemonte da Diamantina 1.541.946.546 0,7% Bacia do Paramirim 744.929.732 0,4% TOTAL 204.265.320.770 100,00% Organization: Ana Emília de Quadros Ferraz Source: SEI, 2013.