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LL-AS06


Political anthropology of neoliberal energy/mineral extraction economy [Commission on Theoretical Anthropology] 
Convenors:
Petr Skalník
Marcin Brocki (Jagiellonian University)
Stream:
Living landscapes: Anthropocene/Paysages vivants: Anthropocène
Location:
MNT 202
Start time:
5 May, 2017 at
Time zone: America/New_York
Session slots:
1

Short Abstract:

Industrial projects do not respect local people and international agreements, companies and states collude in landgrabs, comparative world-wide analysis of these cases is badly needed

Long Abstract:

While some countries chose to phase out nuclear energy generation and the European Union crusades against coal power stations, some countries such as Poland and Turkey (as well as China) build new coal stations. Countries such as Germany and Austria, which publicly adhere to renewable energy sources, do not however mind to import power generated by both coal and nuclear stations located in neighbouring countries. For example, while Poland refers to its carbon-based economy as an aspect of geopolitical independence and social peace among its influential miners, Austria builds a major coal station in Turkey against the will of local inhabitants. Joint EU energy policy is not respected in practice and nationalist and/or hypocritical individual member state policies win. While the panel will show on ethnographically documented cases the pitfalls of European integration, cases from outside of Europe will be included as well because they graphically illustrate hazards of late industrialism whether it concerns coal or mineral extraction that involve catastrophes, environmental devastation, landgrabs, massive corruption and open violence including local wars such as those in Papua New Guinea or Burma/Myanmar. Collusion of states with companies and political parties face resistence by civil society.

Keywords: ethnography of social tensions, political anthropology, carbon-based economy, mineral neoliberalism, environmental devastation, landgrabs, local wars

Accepted papers:

Session 1