Entre a potência e a ausência: os usos da bicicleta como atividade econômica e trabalho nos Municípios do Rio de Janeiro e Nova Iguaçu-RJ

Abstract

The urban challenges of Brazilian Metropolitan Regions present themselves as a present and persistent debate in numerous studies in geographic science throughout space-time, and discussions about mobility and urban cycling infrastructure are related to the relations of this problem. From this, the logic of the bicycle as an economic activity and work is understood, as it is related to sustainable discourse, public policies to promote cycle structure and daily practice, thus aiming to contribute to scientific production on the theme at RMRJ, mainly, in the dynamics in spaces considered peripheral. The main objective of the thesis is to analyze the uses and dynamics, socio-spatial and economic, of the bicycle as a commodity, service (economic activity) and work from a relational perspective of a metropolitan regional character from 2012-2022, from the Municipalities of Nova Iguaçu and Rio de Janeiro. The first objective seeks to highlight the absence and protagonism of the theme in stricto sensu research in the country, in different fields of knowledge and in geographic science, based on surveys at CTD-CAPES and the proposal of a Bicycle Geography; the second, understanding the bicycle economy based on the logic in which it was inserted as an economic activity over time in RMRJ; and, finally, understand the uses and dynamics of the bicycle as a work instrument from a critical perspective of the new cycle-work relationships in RMRJ spaces. Investigative procedures start from reading and theoretical-methodological foundations of authors who speak about the proposed theme and the issues surrounding the research; spatial survey of dynamics and photographic recording of spatialized elements that correspond to everyday cycling; in addition to collecting data through the electronic portals of bodies and agents that are involved in the bicycle discussion. The work proves the cycling spatial differentiation of public policies and platforms of economic/financial agents, an overview of bibliographic production on the topic and ways to reflect on Bicycle Geography. Thus, it is believed that research developed from geographic science, in the fields of urban and economic geography, is a contribution to the theme and studies of urban spaces.