Negotiated Settlements over Mining

• In Event: Beyond the Resource Curse: The Politics of Extraction in MENA and Latin America

Abstract

A large number of interactions between extractive firms and host communities do not result in open, visible conflicts where the state intervenes as a third-party enforcer. We characterize these non-conflict interactions as “negotiated settlements.” The paper examines the political and economic conditions that are conducive to negotiated settlements over mining. We draw attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices by industry actors and the importance of broadening the social influence area of extraction outside the immediate vicinity of the project. A broader social influence area can lead to positive perceptions of mining, fewer grievances between insiders and outsiders, and possibly better development outcomes. We draw on survey results and qualitative evidence of the Quellaveco mine in the southern region of Moquegua, Peru to support these arguments.

Author

• Moises Arce, Tulane University