From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires

Based on an ethnographic analysis of the discourses and practices of tree pruners and inspectors involved in the management of urban woodland in Buenos Aires city, this paper offers a reflection on the tensions between the technical and political aspects within the state management. I shall demonstr...

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Autor principal: Man, Paula
Formato: Artículo revista
Lenguaje:Español
Publicado: Escuela de Antropología - FHyA 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://revistadeantropologia.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revistadeantropologia/article/view/255
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id I15-R207-article-255
record_format ojs
institution Universidad Nacional de Rosario
institution_str I-15
repository_str R-207
container_title_str Revista de la Escuela de Antropología
language Español
format Artículo revista
topic etnografía
Estado
arbolado urbano
conocimiento técnico
política
Ethnography
State
Urban woodland
Technical Knowledge
Politics
Etnografia
Estado
Floresta Urbana
Conhecimento técnico
Política
spellingShingle etnografía
Estado
arbolado urbano
conocimiento técnico
política
Ethnography
State
Urban woodland
Technical Knowledge
Politics
Etnografia
Estado
Floresta Urbana
Conhecimento técnico
Política
Man, Paula
From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires
topic_facet etnografía
Estado
arbolado urbano
conocimiento técnico
política
Ethnography
State
Urban woodland
Technical Knowledge
Politics
Etnografia
Estado
Floresta Urbana
Conhecimento técnico
Política
author Man, Paula
author_facet Man, Paula
author_sort Man, Paula
title From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires
title_short From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires
title_full From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires
title_fullStr From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires
title_full_unstemmed From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires
title_sort from the ideal of the state to practice: technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in buenos aires
description Based on an ethnographic analysis of the discourses and practices of tree pruners and inspectors involved in the management of urban woodland in Buenos Aires city, this paper offers a reflection on the tensions between the technical and political aspects within the state management. I shall demonstrate that this is a long–standing issue in modern thought, which has gained particular relevance with the increasing transformations in our environment. The article approaches an ethnographic study conducted while accompanying tree maintenance tasks in a district of the City of Buenos Aires. It is observed that the actors permanently establish a division between the technical and political aspects, classifying different individuals and practices accordingly. While the technical dimension is associated with fixed and indisputable rules based on an objective understanding of nature, the political dimension is related to opinions, values and the pursue of personal benefits. Towards the end of the article, it is shown that, in practice, beyond the ideal, tree pruners and inspectors must adapt abstract norms to the context, combining technical, political, and practical aspects.
publisher Escuela de Antropología - FHyA
publishDate 2023
url https://revistadeantropologia.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revistadeantropologia/article/view/255
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first_indexed 2024-08-12T21:42:47Z
last_indexed 2024-08-12T21:42:47Z
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spelling I15-R207-article-2552023-12-29T15:43:04Z From the ideal of the State to practice: Technical knowledge and politics in the management of trees in Buenos Aires Del ideal del Estado a la práctica: Lo técnico y lo político en el manejo del arbolado de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires Do ideal de Estado à prática: : o técnico e o político no manejo das árvores na cidade de Buenos Aires Man, Paula etnografía Estado arbolado urbano conocimiento técnico política Ethnography State Urban woodland Technical Knowledge Politics Etnografia Estado Floresta Urbana Conhecimento técnico Política Based on an ethnographic analysis of the discourses and practices of tree pruners and inspectors involved in the management of urban woodland in Buenos Aires city, this paper offers a reflection on the tensions between the technical and political aspects within the state management. I shall demonstrate that this is a long–standing issue in modern thought, which has gained particular relevance with the increasing transformations in our environment. The article approaches an ethnographic study conducted while accompanying tree maintenance tasks in a district of the City of Buenos Aires. It is observed that the actors permanently establish a division between the technical and political aspects, classifying different individuals and practices accordingly. While the technical dimension is associated with fixed and indisputable rules based on an objective understanding of nature, the political dimension is related to opinions, values and the pursue of personal benefits. Towards the end of the article, it is shown that, in practice, beyond the ideal, tree pruners and inspectors must adapt abstract norms to the context, combining technical, political, and practical aspects. Partiendo del análisis etnográfico de los discursos y las prácticas de los podadores y las inspectoras que trabajan en el manejo del arbolado urbano de Buenos Aires, se propone una reflexión sobre las tensiones entre lo técnico y lo político en el ámbito de la gestión estatal. Mostraré que es un problema de larga data en el pensamiento moderno, que adquiere especial relevancia con las crecientes transformaciones en nuestro medioambiente. El artículo se basa en un trabajo etnográfico acompañando las tareas de mantenimiento del arbolado en una Comuna de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Se observa que los actores permanentemente establecen una división entre lo técnico y lo político, y clasifican de este modo a las distintas personas y prácticas. Mientras que lo técnico se asocia a reglas fijas e indiscutibles, basadas en un saber objetivo sobre la naturaleza, la política se relaciona con las opiniones, los valores y la persecución egoísta de beneficios personales. Hacia el final del artículo se muestra que, en la práctica, más allá del ideal, los podadores y las inspectoras deben adaptar contextualmente las normas abstractas, combinando aspectos técnicos, políticos y prácticos. A partir da análise etnográfica dos discursos e práticas dos podadores e inspetoras que atuam na gestão da arborização de Buenos Aires, propõe–se uma reflexão sobre as tensões entre o técnico e o político no campo da gestão estatal. Mostrarei que trata–se de um problema clássico no pensamento moderno, que adquire especial relevância com as crescentes transformações em nosso meio ambiente. O artigo é baseado num trabalho etnográfico que acompanha as tarefas de manutenção de árvores num bairro da cidade de Buenos Aires. Observa–se que os atores estabelecem permanentemente uma divisão entre o técnico e o político, e assim classificam as diferentes pessoas e práticas. Enquanto o técnico está associado a regras fixas e indiscutíveis, o político está relacionado às opiniões, valores e à busca de benefícios pessoais. Ao final do artigo é mostrado que, na prática, além do ideal, os podadores e inspetoras devem adequar contextualmente as normas abstratas, combinando aspectos técnicos, políticos e práticos. Escuela de Antropología - FHyA 2023-12-29 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf text/html application/epub+zip https://revistadeantropologia.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revistadeantropologia/article/view/255 Revista de la Escuela de Antropología; Núm. XXXIII (2023): jul-dic 2618-2998 1852-1576 spa https://revistadeantropologia.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revistadeantropologia/article/view/255/274 https://revistadeantropologia.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revistadeantropologia/article/view/255/275 https://revistadeantropologia.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revistadeantropologia/article/view/255/276 Derechos de autor 2023 Paula Man https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0