The fundamental concepts of socio-spatial research

The fundamental concepts of socio-spatial research , by Marcelo Lopes de Souza, presents and discusses some important concepts on the topic, interconnecting them as the exhibition progresses, and always with the concern of inscribing them in a dynamic of construction of the object that distinguishes, but does not separate, space from social relations.
The work is intended as a simple introduction. However, surprisingly, even basic concepts are not without controversy. Many, practically all, are subject to competing interpretations.

The spirit of the fundamental concepts of socio-spatial research is to illuminate space by drawing on social relations, and these relations by drawing on space, in an endless dialectic. It is therefore a matter of working with concepts focused on socio-spatial research, and not merely on the X-ray of socio-spatial forms or structures.

"(...) It would be dishonest to present this book as an expression of already consensual knowledge. Some concepts may be seen as much more basic than others, depending on the reader, and some readers may vehemently disagree with the inclusion of this or that concept in the list of "fundamentals." Out of a sense of honesty, I have sought, on the other hand, and in every way, to offer more than one perspective on the same concept, whenever this seemed essential to me; and I have also sought to warn about particularly controversial aspects involved. (...) The concepts selected are all directly spatial. The purpose of the book that the reader holds in their hands is to present and discuss some fundamental concepts, interconnecting them as the exposition progresses, always with the concern of inscribing them in a dynamic of object construction that (as far as possible) but not the space of social relations." - Marcelo Lopes de Souza