Revista Universitaria de Geografía

Geographic Matrix. Context and Potential in Quantitative Spatial Analysis

Gustavo Buzai — 2024-12-31

Six decades ago, geographer Brian J.L. Berry proposed the use of the geographic matrix as both a conceptual framework and a tool for quantitative spatial analysis. The former highlights the fundamental approaches of geographical inquiry, while the latter enables advancements beyond traditional methods by applying multivariate analysis techniques focused on spatial units. As a spatial science, Geography has developed a strong tradition that facilitates multivariate-based regionalization processes, allowing for the delineation of spatial models and identification of
underlying factors influencing spatial organization. Given the growing significance of the digital context shaped by the field of Geoinformatics, this article proposes a modeling of sequential matrix-based approaches, outlining key methodological pathways, the critical role of the geographic matrix in regionalization efforts, and its potential applications in contemporary quantitative spatial analysis.

Well-being and Ruralities in Southeastern Buenos Aires: A Methodological Approach Between the Desirable and the Possible

Sofía Ares — 2024-12-31

There is no single, fixed, or straightforward way to define rurality. In social studies, its meanings vary depending on the disciplinary approach, the time frame considered, and the contexts analyzed. However, since 1990, within the broader framework of cultural change, there has been a shift in the way rurality is studied and understood. The conceptual transformation arises from the recognition of new processes, the intensification and the continuation of existing ones, including multi-employment, environmental protection, interaction with urban areas and consumption patterns, the arrival of new actors and changes in modes of production, residence, and land use in rural spaces. This evolving perspective moves the rural studies away from the agrarian tradition toward the ruralist debate. Within
this framework, rurality and well-being are understood as complementary, making it essential to examine their interconnections when selecting indicators to assess the living conditions of the rural population. Therefore, the objective of this paper
is to propose, refine, and critically discuss a methodological strategy for analyzing
well-being in the rural areas of southeastern Buenos Aires.

The Landscape as Territorial Heritage: A Systemic Perspective on the Case of Atotonilco el Alto, Mexico

Mariana Sainz — 2024-12-31

The current economic system, driven by financial interests, has led to landscape transformations without a thorough analysis of their cultural and natural implications. This study highlights the need to recognize the elements that make a space
meaningful to a community, treating it as a territorial heritage. It emphasizes the importance of respecting sites in their entirety, considering both natural and cultural elements in decision-making processes that affect their transformation. This
article explores landscapes with cultural heritage, addressing them as complex systems that evolve in response to their cultural and temporal contexts. The analysis focuses on the case of Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, México, using a dialectical and structural-constructivist methodology, within the framework of new cultural geography. The research is based on the doctoral thesis “Cultural Landscapes of Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, México: Study and Characterization from its Built Cultural Heritage”, which concluded that the applied methodology effectively captured the phenomena and factors shaping the landscape, as well as the power
dynamics and control exerted by different actors within its subsystems over time.

Approaches to the Study of the Society-Nature Relationship in University Settings in Argentina.

Gonzalo Lus Bietti — 2024-12-31

The society-nature relationship constitutes a key axis in the geographical tradition. However, a gap is recognized regarding its treatment in university settings. Within this framework, this paper aims to provide an initial approach to understanding how this relationship has been addressed in the Geography curricula at the University of Buenos Aires and the National University of Cuyo between 1983 and 2001. Adopting a perspective rooted in the history of Science and Geography, and employing archival research and content analysis methodologies, four distinct approaches have been identified, reflecting some of the unique characteristics of these curricula. Some of these perspectives, in turn, have undergone modifications and variations in response to different processes of epistemological renewal. Based on the analyses carried out, this type of study proves useful for gaining deeper insights into the environmental traditions built within Geography, as well as for exploring the specific trajectories of the discipline in Argentina.

A importância dos vínculos simbólico-afetivos das pessoas com o lugar onde habitam.

Agustin Arosteguy — 2024-12-31

O objetivo deste artigo é aprofundar nos vínculos simbólico-afetivos que as pessoas estabelecem com o lugar onde habitam e trabalham, os quais se fortalecem e se aprofundam por meio do lazer e da cultura. Para isso, foram analisados
dois bairros urbanos periféricos da cidade de Belo Horizonte, capital do Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. O foco esteve colocado em duas associações culturais reconhecidas como pontos de cultura. A metodologia adotada baseou-se em uma
abordagem qualitativa, que consistiu em uma revisão bibliográfica articulando território, cultura e lazer, e em um estudo de campo nos dois bairros periféricos.
Além disso, incluiu observação participante e não participante, além de entrevistas a doze pessoas vinculadas às associações culturais investigadas. Os resultados foram organizados por meio da discussão de quatro categorias: Identidade Territorial, Memória Coletiva, Sentido de Lugar e Lazer Comunitário. A pesquisa demonstrou que a cultura e o lazer desempenham um papel crucial na conexão entre os seres humanos e o território. Nesse contexto, cada sujeito social
expressa, de forma consciente ou inconsciente, sua subjetividade em estreita relação com as periferias onde mora, ressignificando-as à sua maneira.

Key Actors in the Public Transport System of Greater La Plata.

Camila Arregui — 2024-12-31

The public transport system in the city of La Plata currently suffers from significant deficiencies in quality, coverage, and its capacity to meet demand. These issues stem from a lack of integrated planning between mobility and urban development, the erosion of municipal control over transport, discontinuity in local governance, the increasing influence of private sector actors, and the impact of
subsidy policies on supply, exacerbated by speculative business practices since 2002. Social network theory is applied to study the interactions and power dynamics among key social actors, mapping relationships and structural barriers that
hinder integrative solutions. Examining the public transport system from 2015 to 2023, the analysis identifies four critical issues: the asymmetric positions of economic actors in relation to the
State, the limited organizational capacity of the regulatory authority, the lack of coordination among state actors at the local, provincial, and national levels, and the absence of user representation. The study concludes with recommendations for a comprehensive restructuring of the transport system through integrative and participatory management.

Nota Editorial

Cecilia A. Rodriguez — 2024-12-31

Estimación del riesgo asociado a la ocurrencia de inundaciones en la cuenca hidrográfica inferior de Río Negro (Argentina)

María Cintia Piccolo — 2024-12-31

Grethel García Bu Bucogen. (2023). Tesis de Doctorado en Geografía (CONEAU Res.754/09. Categorización A). Departamento de Geografía y Turismo. Universidad Nacional del Sur. 245 pp. Fecha de defensa: 19/10/2023. Directora: Dra. María Cintia Piccolo y Codirectora: Dra. Vanesa Yael Bohn.

Dos ciudades: la urbanización popular como forma de producción del espacio urbano.

Roberto Bustos Cara — 2024-12-31

Lucia Alejandra Cobo Quintero (2023). Tesis de Doctorado en Geografía (CONEAU Res.754/09. Categorización A). Departamento de Geografía y Turismo. Universidad Nacional del Sur. 217 pp. Director: Dr. Roberto Bustos Cara (UNS) y co-directora: Dra. María Belén Noceti (UNS-CONICET). Fecha de defensa: 28/09/2023.