GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION AS AN IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE: ANALYSIS OF THE DIGITAL DISCOURSE OF THE INDICATION OF SOURCE SOUTHERN BAHIA IN THE CONSOLIDATION OF A NEW TERRITORIAL IDENTITY

Resumo

For more than two centuries, the history of the southern region of Bahia has been written around its main economic activity: cocoa cultivation. This agricultural culture was determinant in the formation of the territorial identity, one of the main factors for the granting of registration of Indication of Source (often referred as IP) Southern Bahia by the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), which protects the intellectual property around a regional product: cocoa bean. IP Southern Bahia distinctive sign is related to a range of local factors, such as history, culture, environment, social organization, tourism and technological development of cocoa, in order to suit as a resource for the creation of a new territorial identity aiming at regional socioeconomic development. An analysis of the textual and imaginary discourse created by Southern Bahia Cocoa Association (ACSB) was carried out in its internet media in order to identify the registration impact on the place identity. ACSB represents 14 associations and more than 3.000 cocoa producers. The theoretical basis and the result of the empirical analysis have shown that a well-constructed strategic narrative tends to affect the creation of the intended territorial identity.Finally, this study made an analytical survey of the discourse content built around the IP Southern Bahia, pointed out the qualities and lacks of the narrative and suggested corrections for the creation of an economic and socially development territorial identity.