O campo turístico a partir da zona histórica e portuária de Natal (RN): concepção, disputa dos capitais e transformação dos habitus

Abstract

Several social transformations have impacted historical and port zones in different historical contexts. With the advancement of modernity and the expansion of cities into new centralities, these areas have undergone a process of depopulation, with a decline in services, residents, and lived experiences. Since the implementation of neoliberal policy agendas in Brazil, these foundational spaces of coastal cities have become targets of public and private interventions aimed at their reactivation and commercialization, often considering tourism as a key element. In this context, this dissertation aims to understand the constitution of the tourism field in the historical and port zone of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, focusing on the reconfiguration of these areas for tourism purposes. It is considered that the agents operating within the established field compete for the accumulation of specific forms of capital and can influence the perception of tourism development, particularly regarding the implementation of strategies that position tourism as a vector for spatial transformation. The research is grounded in Bourdieu’s theory of field, capital, and habitus, serving as the theoretical and methodological framework. The methodological approach consists of: (i) a literature review of articles, dissertations, theses, and books relevant to the theoretical framework; (ii) delineation of the research universe, encompassing public and private agents, tourists, and local society; (iii) development of research instruments and conducting semi-structured and open-ended interviews; and (iv) collection of secondary data through official documents, meeting minutes, management reports, bulletins, and institutional records related to the tourism field. The findings indicate that the tourism field has been structured based on the dominance of tourism activity in other areas of the city, leading to the emergence of dominant agents who monopolize tourism development and subordinate agents who seek alternative forms of resistance to the absence of tourism in the historical and port zone. The contested forms of capital (economic, cultural, social, and tourismrelated) have been accumulated through differentiation processes, in which dominant agents — possessing a higher volume of capital—control decision-making regarding tourism development, while subordinate agents, with lower capital accumulation, have resisted by attempting to mobilize the zone through alternative means shaped by their marginalized experiences. Although the dominant agents' narratives express concern over the state of neglect in the historical and port zone, their habitus reflects an underlying tendency to maintain this condition. This contrast reveals a dissonance between the internalization of subjectivities within the practice zone and the externalization of subjectivities in the field of disputes, imposing on the tourism field a structured logic of behavior shaped by these narratives. This scenario has led to a natural process of distinction between agents, highlighting how power dynamics and structural inequalities shape the tourism field. The lack of integrated and participatory governance exacerbates these distortions, underscoring the urgent need for a more inclusive planning approach that values the contributions of all agents. The normalization of differences between agents in the historical and port zone of Natal has reinforced structural inequalities and incorporated symbolic disputes that shape the tourism field. To overcome these barriers, it is crucial to promote a more equitable redistribution of capital, fostering a symbolic revolution that enables subordinate agents to reposition themselves within the field while encouraging dialogue among various stakeholders to recognize and enhance alternative tourism practices, thereby broadening the region’s development possibilities.