Participation and community in Rincón de San José neighborhood in relationship to the preservation of Río Tunjuelito

Abstract

The conditions of Tunjuelito River in Bogotá show the need for more detailed understanding of social relationships connected to hydric resources. Because of this and considering its immediate importance for inhabitants, participation processes regarding the river in the district popular context from Rincón de San Jose neighbourhood in the 7th area of Bosa were studied. Images, beliefs, habits and preserving customs were described in order to present such processes. This qualitative research was conducted at an exploratory level from a hermeneutic perspective. As a result, an approach to the community context, the research team strategies for immersion, images beliefs, river preservation and contamination, domestic and hygienic habits, and water and food handling are shown descriptively. Participation processes, neighbour relationships, social organisation and presence from entities are examined as well.