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From Resistance to Creation: Socio-Environmental Activism in Chile’s “Sacrifice Zones”

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  • Katia Valenzuela-Fuentes

    (Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
    Department of Land Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile)

  • Esteban Alarcón-Barrueto

    (Department of Sociology and Gender Studies, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales—FLACSO Ecuador, Quito 170201, Ecuador)

  • Robinson Torres-Salinas

    (Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
    Department of Land Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile)

Abstract

The last decade has witnessed the proliferation of socio-environmental conflicts across Chile, characterized by the resistance of local communities against extractive and industrial projects. Increasingly, these conflicts have revealed the multiple injustices experienced by communities living in sacrifice zones. A sacrifice zone can be defined as a segregated place where the quality of life of its communities is compromised in the name of progress and capital accumulation. By focusing on socio-environmental struggles taking place in Quintero-Puchuncaví Bay, Coronel Bay, and Hualpén-Talcahuano Bay, three highly polluted and industrialized areas in Chile, this article explores the views and practices developed by grassroots activists in their quest for resisting and moving beyond the capitalist and extractivist model of development. By conducting a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 32 socio-environmental activists, this qualitative study provides a detailed account of how they understand a sacrifice zone and resist in these areas. Furthermore, it describes alternatives to capitalist and extractivist development envisioned and enacted by grassroots movements, expanding on the notions of territorial sovereignty and “buen vivir”.

Suggested Citation

  • Katia Valenzuela-Fuentes & Esteban Alarcón-Barrueto & Robinson Torres-Salinas, 2021. "From Resistance to Creation: Socio-Environmental Activism in Chile’s “Sacrifice Zones”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3481-:d:521516
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eduardo García-Frapolli & Bárbara Ayala-Orozco & Malena Oliva & Robert J. Smith, 2018. "Different Approaches Towards the Understanding of Socio-Environmental Conflicts in Protected Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Ashish Kothari & Federico Demaria & Alberto Acosta, 2014. "Buen Vivir, Degrowth and Ecological Swaraj: Alternatives to sustainable development and the Green Economy," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 57(3-4), pages 362-375, December.
    3. Harvey, David, 2005. "The New Imperialism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199278084.
    4. Claudio A. Agostini & Carlos Silva & Shahriyar Nasirov, 2017. "Failure of Energy Mega-Projects in Chile: A Critical Review from Sustainability Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Catherine Walsh, 2010. "Development as Buen Vivir: Institutional arrangements and (de)colonial entanglements," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 53(1), pages 15-21, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sebastián Huneeus & Sergio Toro & Juan Pablo Luna & Diego Sazo & Andrés Cruz & Daniel Alcatruz & Bryan Castillo & Camila Bertranou & Javier Cisterna, 2021. "Delayed and Approved: A Quantitative Study of Conflicts and the Environmental Impact Assessments of Energy Projects in Chile 2012–2017," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-13, June.
    2. Hernán Cuevas Valenzuela & Robinson Torres-Salinas & Günter Grosser & Jorge Félez-Bernal & Jorge Budrovich, 2023. "Port-city symbiosis and uneven development: a critical essay on forestry exports and maritime trade from Coronel, Chile," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 25(2), pages 381-405, June.

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