Political ecology in the study of urban segregation. A case study of structuring walls in the periphery of Lima, Peru

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate and characterize the elements that generate and are generated in a socially and environmentally segregated space, based on an ecopolitical perspective, used in this study as a tool for interdisciplinary interpretation of socio-environmental problems.

Methodology: Descriptive and exploratory methodology, supported by bibliographical research and on-site observation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with residents on the outskirts of the city of Lima, Peru. To analyze the information collected, the Pressure, State, Impact and Response (PEIR) matrix was used, in order to generate organization charts for diagnosing conflicts and problems.

Originality / relevance: There is a clear intersection between cultural, historical and political parameters that produce environmental changes in cities. The following article contributes to the study of social and physical segregation as a generator of environmental impacts.

Results: The results show that the researched object presents a complex environmental and social dynamics. A wall was built over the last decades to divide two realities of the city. In this sense, there was socio-environmental segregation, which is a phenomenon of contemporary urbanization, with historical, cultural and political influences.

Social / management contributions: Emphasize factors that are not immediate in the physical space, such as the historical interaction of society in the city and its environmental heritage. Propose a more holistic understanding through Political Ecology