Sociotechnical coastal squeeze: technology, tourism, and governance on Copacabana’s waterfront

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21669/tomo.v44.23684

Keywords:

Sociotechnical Coastal Squeeze, Urban Waterfront, Technified Governance, Spatial Fix, Copacabana

Abstract

This article expands the notion of coastal squeeze beyond its traditional physical-ecological definition by proposing the concept of sociotechnical coastal squeeze. Based on the case of Copacabana's waterfront (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), we argue that the Technical-Scientific-Informational Milieu (MTCI) intensifies the compression of public space. Methodologically, the analysis articulates the history of spatial fixes with the interpretation of contemporary spatial arrangements (longitudinal, transversal, vertical). Results demonstrate that, beyond physical infrastructure, an informational squeeze—a mesh of digital platforms, surveillance systems, and public-private partnerships—governs beach uses, driving commodification and platformization. The Réveillon mega-event is analyzed as a laboratory for this technified governance, where new control technologies are tested and normalized. We conclude that this sociotechnical dimension, defined by informational barriers, is fundamental to understanding contemporary challenges on global urbanized coasts.

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Author Biographies

Leticia Parente Ribeiro, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (1998) and a master’s degree in Geography from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (2001). She has been serving as an Assistant Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) since 2006. She is a researcher with the Territory and Citizenship Group (UFRJ) and a collaborator with the RETIS Research Group (UFRJ). Her main areas of expertise include coastal cities and seaside urbanization, public spaces and urban sociability, the geography of international borders, the history of geographic thought, geographic methodology, and the geography of socio-environmental risks.

Marcos Paulo Ferreira de Gois, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

He holds a PhD in Geography from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He defended his dissertation on nighttime landscapes in the city of Rio de Janeiro in 2015. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where he teaches courses in Geographic Theory, Research in Geography, and the History of Geographical Thought. He has experience in Urban and Cultural Geography, working mainly on the following topics: tourism-led urbanization, public policies and representations of the city, urban economics, and nighttime urban landscapes.

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Published

2025-12-29

How to Cite

Parente Ribeiro, L., & Ferreira de Gois, M. P. (2025). Sociotechnical coastal squeeze: technology, tourism, and governance on Copacabana’s waterfront . TOMO Review, 44, e23684. https://doi.org/10.21669/tomo.v44.23684

Issue

Vol. 44 (2025): TOMO Journal (Rolling Pass)

Section

Special Issue - Coastal Squeeze: Beaches under Socio-Economic and Ecological Pressure

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Copyright (c) 2025 Leticia Parente Ribeiro, Marcos Paulo Ferreira de Gois

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