AGROECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: CONTRIBUTIONS OF ITALIAN OPERAISM AND KOHEI SAITO TO THE CRITIQUE OF CONTEMPORARY CAPITALISMO
Abstract
Agroecology has emerged as an important alternative to traditional models of agricultural production based on the intensive exploitation of nature and labor. In the face of contemporary environmental, social, and economic crises, it has become increasingly necessary to rethink development patterns associated with capitalism. In this context, this study discusses the contributions of Italian Operaismo and the reflections of Kohei Saito to the debate on agroecology and sustainable development. Italian Operaismo, particularly in the works of Antonio Negri and Mario Tronti, presents a critique of capitalist forms of exploitation, emphasizing the centrality of labor, social relations, and class conflicts within productive dynamics. Kohei Saito, through an ecological reinterpretation of the work of Karl Marx, analyzes the environmental crisis from the perspective of the metabolic rift between society and nature, highlighting the ecological limits of capitalism and the need for sustainable alternatives. This research is qualitative in nature and was developed through a bibliographic review and interpretative analysis of works related to political ecology, agroecology, sustainability, and Marxist critique. Books, scientific articles, and academic studies addressing the relationship between capitalism, environmental exploitation, and the social organization of agricultural production were analyzed. The findings demonstrate that agroecology goes beyond the technical dimension of agriculture, constituting a political, social, and environmental practice aimed at food sovereignty, environmental preservation, the valorization of traditional knowledge, and social justice.
Author Biographies
Holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (2013) and a Bachelor's degree in Geography from Claretiano – University Center (2018). Holds a Specialization in Environmental Education with an Emphasis on Sustainable Educational Spaces from the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) (2017) and a Specialization in Philosophy in Secondary Education from the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ) (2019). Earned a Master's degree in Agroecology and Rural Development from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) (2020). Currently a Ph.D. candidate in Social Sciences at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) (since 2022).
Holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Economic Development, with an emphasis on Social and Labor Economics, from the Institute of Economics of the University of Campinas (IE/UNICAMP), and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Management from the School of Applied Sciences of the same institution (FCA/UNICAMP). Currently, he is a professor at the Rio Claro Faculty of Technology (Fatec), where he combines undergraduate teaching with research focused on Artificial Intelligence, Agile Project Management, Sustainability, and Innovation.
Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), completed in 2025; Master’s degree in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), completed in 2016; Bachelor’s and Teaching degrees in Social Sciences from UFMA (2004); and a Specialization in Higher Education Methodology, also from UFMA (2008). Since 2007, he has served as an adjunct professor, teaching Sociology, Anthropology, and Sociology of Education at several higher education institutions.
References
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