The data have been collected from fieldwork and extensive archival analysis of videos and documents . In total , I undertook three field trips to Mariana from the start of 2019 , resulting in 48 days of content for analysis . Before this , the first research visit to Mariana was in December 2012 , when I conducted 18 interviews almost three years prior to the disaster event while researching community perceptions on mining . During this first visit , it became immediately apparent that the community was highly dependent on Samarco for its livelihood and economy in general . This visit significantly aided me in becoming acquainted with the local cultural context and making key contacts for future field 1 3 research six years later , thus facilitating access to further interviewees in mid-2016 and during consequent visits in January , August and December of 2019 and in January 2020 . Since mid-2016 , I have been in contact with one atingida woman leader from Bento Rodrigues , having interviewed her and requested her for video testimony for a conference on human rights defenders . Since then , I have analysed archival documents comprising videos , media reports and Brazilian academic publications on the disaster .