This paper addresses the engagement of critical geographers from Northeastern Brazil with regional planning, aiming at transforming society by acting on their region’s spaces. Extending and putting in relation literature on planning theory in the Global South and geographical scholarship on decoloniality, I explore new archives showing how the planning work that these geographers performed from 1957 to 1964 was an example of the ‘South’ re-elaborating and putting into practice notions arising from ‘international’ literature, such as that of ‘active geography’, and pioneering critical uses of instruments, such as mappings and statistics, that have often been associated with technocracy and political conservatism. Connected with peasants’ struggles and with a theoretical framework that is cognisant of the colonial histories and insurgent Black and indigenous traditions in the Northeast, these geographers’ works show that there is no ‘Southern Theory’ without a concrete engagement of scholars with social and political problems, one which is not limited to ‘participation’, but aims at challenging the political powers in place. Although not devoid of contradictions that are analysed here, the experiences of these Southern geographers acting in and for the South can provide precious insights into current (Northern or Southern) scholarly programmes aimed at resisting oppression.

本文讨论了来自巴西东北部的批判性地理学家参与区域规划，旨在通过对其区域空间采取行动来改变社会。扩展和放入有关全球南方规划理论和非殖民化地理学术的相关文献，我探索了新档案，展示了这些地理学家从 1957 年到 1964 年执行的规划工作如何成为“南方”重新阐述和投入的一个例子实践源自“国际”文学的概念，例如“活跃地理学”，以及开创性地批判性使用工具，例如地图和统计，这些经常与技术统治和政治保守主义联系在一起。结合农民的斗争，结合对殖民历史和起义黑人和东北土著传统的认识的理论框架，这些地理学家的作品表明，没有学者与社会和政治的具体参与，就没有“南方理论”。问题，不限于“参与”，而是旨在挑战现有的政治权力。尽管这里分析的并非没有矛盾，但这些南方地理学家在南方和为南方工作的经验可以为当前（北方或南方）旨在抵抗压迫的学术计划提供宝贵的见解。一种不限于“参与”，而是旨在挑战现有的政治权力。尽管这里分析的并非没有矛盾，但这些南方地理学家在南方和为南方工作的经验可以为当前（北方或南方）旨在抵抗压迫的学术计划提供宝贵的见解。一种不限于“参与”，而是旨在挑战现有的政治权力。尽管这里分析的并非没有矛盾，但这些南方地理学家在南方和为南方工作的经验可以为当前（北方或南方）旨在抵抗压迫的学术计划提供宝贵的见解。