Walking as a cartographic procedure for the production and management of health territories

Abstract

Cartographic techniques and technologies have become relevant in public health policies because socio-spatial understanding is essential for public health management. This article seeks to analyze, from an anthropological perspective, some cartographic experiments carried out by health professionals during a series of professional training workshops in the health network of the city of São Bernardo do Campo, SP, where I conducted field research at the “Consultório na Rua”. Participant observation was the technique used in this qualitative research. I will present the reports of this cartographic experiment, in which I participated as a researcher and apprentice, the maps produced by my team, and the lessons learned from this experiment. Based on an anthropological bibliography and Tim Ingold’s (2000) ecological approach, I show how knowledge is produced through affective practices and perceptive experiences in participatory cartographies. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the centrality of walking in the production of new knowledge. The act of walking creates a field of knowledge, establishes bonds and affective connections with the territory, and illuminates the dynamics of everyday life, aspects that are fundamental for the production of healthy territories and for the planning of public policies.