The Social Dimensions of the Iron Quadrangle Region: An Educational Experience in Geodesign

Mining brings about positive and negative changes for the residents of regions that are heavily dependent on such economic activity. In Brazil, the so-called Iron Quadrangle fits within a complex regional arrangement that results in various conflicts of interest between different stakeholders, which...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Professional geographer 2021-07, Vol.73 (3), p.504-520
Main Authors: Haddad, Mônica A., Moura, Ana Clara Mourão, Cook, Vivian M., Lima e Lima, Thiago
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aplicaciones de minería
Brasil
Brazil
College students
Colleges & universities
conflictos de interés
Conflicts of interest
Decision making
decision-making processes
Economic activity
Economic conditions
Education
geodesign
geodiseño
Iron
Mining
mining applications
procesos de toma de decisiones
Social factors
Students
Sustainable development
Teaching
Undergraduate students
Undergraduate study
决策过程
利益冲突
地学设计
采矿应用
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Summary:Mining brings about positive and negative changes for the residents of regions that are heavily dependent on such economic activity. In Brazil, the so-called Iron Quadrangle fits within a complex regional arrangement that results in various conflicts of interest between different stakeholders, which complicates decision-making processes regarding mining activities. In this article, we introduce geodesign as a methodological approach that could efficiently contribute to mediating these challenges and conflicts. We present an educational experience in geodesign conducted within the framework of a minicourse offered in 2019 to undergraduate students at a Brazilian university. The experience illustrates how students were able to use the framework of geodesign to propose projects and policies to be included in a sustainable development master plan for the Iron Quadrangle region. Specifically, to examine the social dimensions at play in an iron mining region, students applied Steinitz's geodesign framework, premised on six main questions and six corresponding models. This case study contributes to the emerging literature on geodesign pedagogy by demonstrating the benefits of this process and proposing recommendations that are applicable not only in academia but also in real-world situations that would truly benefit from such an approach.
ISSN:0033-0124
1467-9272
DOI:10.1080/00330124.2021.1895849