AFFECTIVITY IN THE QUILOMBOLA TERRITORY: SUMMARY OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN HUMAN-ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS IN A QUILOMBOLA COMMUNITY IN CEARÁ BASED ON AFFECTIVE MAPS

Abstract

The historical relationship between the quilombola population and their territory is shaped by continuous processes of resistance and encompasses multiple dimensions, including health. In Brazil, the health of the Black population is still addressed by a limited number of policies and programs which, when they exist, tend to prioritize physical aspects, relegating mental health to a secondary position. Considering territory as an important social determinant of the health of the quilombola population, including psychosocial well-being, and given the relevance of scientific productions that articulate territory and mental health, this study aimed to understand how territory influences the mental health of a quilombola population in the municipality of Horizonte, Ceará, through the lens of affectivity. To this end, theoretical frameworks from Affectivity Studies, Social Psychology, and Transitional Environmental Psychology were employed. This qualitative study used the Affective Map Generating Instrument as its methodological strategy. The findings indicate that territory exerts a strong influence on the mental health of the quilombola population of Alto Alegre, revealing complex subjectivities shaped by conflicts, resistance strategies, community bonds, and territorial disputes, which simultaneously affect and are affected by the sociopolitical context experienced by the community.