Fluxos de desigualdades: as águas da ilha como moldura de seus tensionamentos sociais

Abstract

This study aims to understand the dynamics of social inequality in São Luís, Maranhão, based on the flow of water in its socio-spatial formation. The starting point is a case concerning access to water in rural areas, involving a lawsuit filed by the State Public Defender's Office, in which the defendants are the municipality of São Luís and the Maranhão Environmental Sanitation Company. Reports, observations, and experiences between 2023 and 2024 are intertwined, composing an overview of the city's water resources. The research investigates how the lack of access to basic rights, especially access to drinking water and sewage services, highlights inequalities and tensions between part of the population and the State. A qualitative approach was used, with a literature review and document analysis. The investigation is guided by authors from the social sciences, with an emphasis on anthropology, highlighting concepts such as environmental justice, environmental racism, biopolitics, and governmentality.