Ecology as a parameter of Geopolitics - The legacy of Bertha Becker in the Field of Environmental Studies at Amazon

Abstract

This article presents the legacy of the involvement of Bertha Becker in partnerships
with the Instituto de Pesquisas Espaciais which resulted in the institutionalization of
programs on the Amazon. The Institute usually is involved in issues from the perspective of the natural sciences but which are often subject to political and programmatic constraints. Bertha's ideas opened our horizons beyond biophysical techniques and stimulated us to think about how to introduce the human dimension into our field of research. Her emphasis on the political side of the human dimensions of global change is still novel for us today and permits giving greater relevance to political and social issues in the Amazon.