Cultural Policies and Territory in Latin America: Conceptual dialogues between Néstor García Canclini, Rodolfo Kusch and Milton Santos

Abstract

We started this article with a recapitulation, in three times, on the concept of cultural policies elaborated by Néstor García Canclini. We highlight three texts (and contexts) that we mean keys on the conceptual learning of this author in the field of cultural policies. First it’s the article “Políticas Culturais em América Latina”, published in portuguese in 1983. The second moment appears at the introduction of the collection of articles untitled “Políticas Culturales en América Latina” of 1987, where García Canclini records his first conceptual systematization. And finally, a third moment appointed on the article “Definiciones en transición” in 2001, where inedited points are increased on the concept of 1987, including categories of social-spatial analyze such as geoculture and the transnational character of the recent symbolic and material processes. Considering this conceptual changes, we dialogue with two latin-american thinkers that will help, from diverse fields of knowledge, to relation geoculture, territory and cultural policies: Rodolfo Kusch and Milton Santos. We aim to reflect of the actuality of these conceptual constructions, seeking to contribute on the study of contemporary cultural policies in Latin American context. To conclude, we recorded some differents experiences performed by contemporary scholars of the region with the purpose of continuing the discussion of the relationships between territory and cultural policies in Latin America.