The long journey of Milton Santos’s exile and the formation of his network of cooperation

Abstract

Based on an analysis of letters from the Milton Santos collection, the article revisits his journey through exile and shows how he contributed to solidifying the field of critical geography. It also pinpoints elements that reveal the genesis of his intellectual network, which involved thinkers from France, the United States, and Latin America. Focusing on the contexts of his exile, the article links his experiences outside Brazil to new scientific interests and the formation of an international circle of cooperation. Secondarily, it provides evidence of his concern with planning. It is found that his interest in the group of Pierre George and François Perroux was followed by a critical stance that moved him toward dialogue with Marxist philosophy and structuralism.

Milton Santos (1926-2001; intellectual network; exile; critical geography; planning