Conceptualization of Territory in Social Work: Contributions and Reflections

Abstract

This article is built from the results of the research Contributions to the Conceptualization of Territory in Social Work to reflect on the discursive ways in which this concept has been understood in the profession. Starting from social sciences, we assumed different postures (epistemologies of the south, anthropologies of non-places, anthropologies of the south, decolonial turn and post-structuralism) that allowed us to approach the reflective and critical understanding of the territory. Starting from the critical approach of the epistemologies of the south, an innovative methodological process is developed, which includes the sociology of absences (that which is available), the sociology of emergences (that which is possible) and the translation work that promoted dialogue among 31 sources consulted (eleven from social sciences and twenty from social work). As a product, we built and documented analytical categories for a critical understanding of the territory from social sciences and social work. We considered transdisciplinarity as a fundamental contribution to conceptualize the territory. As a result of this dialogue, we designed polyhedra that graphically show the relationships that develop in the territory.