Class

Article

College

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department

Sociology, Social Work & Anthropology Department

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Abstract

Environmental movements are one of the important sources of resistance against degradations which are results of economic or development projects in natural resources and the marketization of the environment (Wolford &Keene, 2015; Robbins, 2012; and 2004; McAfee & Shapiro, 2010; Spronk, 2007; Escobar, 2004). Since the 1970s, environmental protests have become more and more influential with regard to neoliberal environmental policy. Environmental movements, as examined within the context of political ecology, reveal the unequal distribution of power in terms of control of the environment and access to natural resources (Robbins 2012). The study focuses on two water transfer projects to uncover the nature of environmental movements and resistance to these projects in two different political economic structures: Iran and the US. This comparative research seeks to understand the nature of resistances and reasons for forming these environmental movements in two different political and economic communities. The research applies Polanyi's "double movements" theory and Harvey's "accumulation by dispossession" perspective. The study is intended to address the following specific research questions: How water projects would cause dislocation environmentally, socially and economically in two different societies? what are the mechanisms of resistance or counter mobilization against commodification of water in different political economies The data for this study was collected through in-depth interviews with a wide range of local activists, residents, and institutional actors as well as study of some documented or reports. The results of research focus dislocations of projects and methods that environmental movements have applied to protect society from water market.

Location

Room 154

Start Date

4-10-2019 12:00 PM

End Date

4-10-2019 1:15 PM

Share

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Apr 10th, 12:00 PM Apr 10th, 1:15 PM

Countermovement to Marketization of Water (A Comparative Study Between Iran and US)

Room 154

Environmental movements are one of the important sources of resistance against degradations which are results of economic or development projects in natural resources and the marketization of the environment (Wolford &Keene, 2015; Robbins, 2012; and 2004; McAfee & Shapiro, 2010; Spronk, 2007; Escobar, 2004). Since the 1970s, environmental protests have become more and more influential with regard to neoliberal environmental policy. Environmental movements, as examined within the context of political ecology, reveal the unequal distribution of power in terms of control of the environment and access to natural resources (Robbins 2012). The study focuses on two water transfer projects to uncover the nature of environmental movements and resistance to these projects in two different political economic structures: Iran and the US. This comparative research seeks to understand the nature of resistances and reasons for forming these environmental movements in two different political and economic communities. The research applies Polanyi's "double movements" theory and Harvey's "accumulation by dispossession" perspective. The study is intended to address the following specific research questions: How water projects would cause dislocation environmentally, socially and economically in two different societies? what are the mechanisms of resistance or counter mobilization against commodification of water in different political economies The data for this study was collected through in-depth interviews with a wide range of local activists, residents, and institutional actors as well as study of some documented or reports. The results of research focus dislocations of projects and methods that environmental movements have applied to protect society from water market.