Social Management in Santa Rita – Teresópolis, RJ: Agroecology and Rural Tourism in the Construction of Socio-Environmental Territorialities

Objective: To investigate how the rural community of Santa Rita (Teresópolis, RJ) builds resistance against capitalist expansion through agroecology and rural tourism, analyzing the formation of socio-environmental territorialities as an alternative model for social and territorial management. Theoretical Framework: The study is grounded in Rural Sociology, lifeworld approaches, critiques of territorial commodification, and the concept of socio-environmental territorialities—integrating resistance, agroecology, and sustainable development. Method: Ethnographic research with participant observation and group dynamics, analyzing self-managed practices, political organization, and the interplay between identity, territory, and resistance in the Santa Rita community. Results and Discussion: The community constructs socio-environmental territorialities through agroecology and rural tourism, strengthening resistance against agribusiness and gentrification. These practices foster sustainable development, collective identity, and compliance with Article 225 of the Brazilian Constitution. Research Implications: The findings demonstrate that agroecological practices and community-based rural tourism can reinforce territorial resistance, offering a replicable model for other communities facing capitalist pressures while informing public policies for sustainable rural development. Originality/Value: The study proposes "socio-environmental territorialities" as a theoretical tool to analyze rural resistance, highlighting Santa Rita’s autonomous social management as an inspiring model for communities under capitalist expansion.