Social stratification in environmental preservation areas: the case of Bom Jardim and Mundês settlements in Itabaiana/SE

Abstract

This paper presents part of the final results of the project "Identity, power and environment: the National Park of Itabaiana's Sierra The PARNASI was created in 2005, and there are few studies on how it influenced economically, politically and culturally the communities on their environment. Based on notions of social stratification and field the project aimed to identify the social agents and the process of their (re)positioning within an area of environmental protection. The study was based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques and the research indicates that despite advances in the environmental field, living conditions and relations of power pre-existing the creation of PARNASI have not been modified significantly. Thus, it was observed that there has been no substantial change in the correlation of the present forces acting inside the investigated field, what modifies very little the positions among residents, local politicians and owners of ceramics and pottery industry.