Mobilizing the Inca heartland: a study of conflicts over mining in Southern Peru
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Abstract
Global demand for clean energy keeps pushing the mining frontier of essential materials such as copper, lithium, and zinc to the indigenous hinterland that is often marginalized in the national blueprint for development. In response, com- munities mobilized to demand environmental justice and economic development promised by international companies and the central government. Why are some communities able to take collective actions to effectively press for their demands while others fail? Answering this question will help uncover the key variables behind effective collective actions that are well-mobilized and conducive to suc- cessful struggles. This study explores this question through a study of commu- nity mobilizations around mega-mining projects in the southern Peruvian regions of Apurímac and Cusco, drawing on qualitative data from interviews with local stakeholders and observations of community meetings and negotiations, and an original survey in Apurímac. It shows that the likelihood of success is related to the level of social cohesiveness and the existence of the political culture of civic engagement in the host communities prior to mining. This finding will contribute to the literature on social mobilization and contentious politics around natural re- source extraction.
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2024