Summary Environmental Politics Notes on *SOME* Readings and Guided Reading Questions - GRADE 6,5
45 views 1 purchase
Course
Environmental Politics (6442HEP)
Institution
Universiteit Leiden (UL)
Summary of *SOME* of the reading materials and the guided reading questions for the final exam (2023) for Environmental Politics. INCLUDES notes from (Total: 27 pages):
See * Summary List * on page 1.
Summary of *SOME* of the reading materials and the guided reading questions for the final exam
(2023) for Environmental Politics. INCLUDES notes from (Total: 26 pages):
● See * Summary List * on page 1.
Environmental Politics Notes on *SOME* Readings and Guided
Reading Questions
Table of Contents
* Summary List * 1
“Power, Nature, and Neoliberalism: The Political Ecology of Water in Chile” 2
“Depoliticized Environments: The End of Nature, Climate Change and the Post-Political
Condition” 4
“An Ecomodernist Manifesto” 6
“A Planet to Win: Why We Need a Green New Deal” 9
Introduction: Bad Weather, Good Politics 9
“The Coming Avocado Politics” 11
“China Goes Green: Coercive Environmentalism for a Troubled Planet” 14
Introduction: The Rise of Authoritarian Environmentalism 14
“Climates of Capital: For a Trans-Environmental Eco-Socialism” 16
“De-naturalizing Ecological Disaster: Colonialism, Racism and the Global Dust Bowl of the
1930s” 18
“Ecologically Unequal Exchange: A Theory of Global Environmental Injustice” 20
“Climate Change, Forced Migration, and International Law” 22
1 Conceptualizing Climate Change-Related Movement 22
“Managing Climate Insecurity by Ensuring Continuous Capital Accumulation: ‘Climate
Refugees’ and ‘Climate Migrants’” 24
, 1
* Summary List *
These notes include a summary of each of the following readings:
● Jessica Budds’ journal article (2004) “Power, Nature, and Neoliberalism: The Political Ecology
of Water in Chile”, pp. 322-337.
● Erik Swyngedouw’s journal article (2011) “Depoliticized Environments: The End of Nature,
Climate Change and the Post-Political Condition”, pp. 253-274.
● Asafu-Adjaye, et al. (2015) “An Ecomodernist Manifesto”.
● Aronoff, et al. (2019) “A Planet to Win: Why We Need a Green New Deal”, introduction.
● Nils Gilman’s article (2020) “The Coming Avocado Politics”.
● Yifei Li and Judith Shapiro’s textbook (2020) “China Goes Green: Coercive Environmentalism
for a Troubled Planet”, introduction.
● Nancy Fraser’s journal article (2021) “Climates of Capital: For a Trans-Environmental
Eco-Socialism”.
● Hannah Holleman’s journal article (2017) “De-naturalizing Ecological Disaster: Colonialism,
Racism and the Global Dust Bowl of the 1930s”.
● Jennifer E. Givens, Xiaorui Huang, and Andrew K. Jorgenson’s journal article (2019)
“Ecologically Unequal Exchange: A Theory of Global Environmental Injustice”.
● Jane McAdam’s chapter (2012) “1 Conceptualizing Climate Change-Related Movement” in
“Climate Change, Forced Migration, and International Law”.
● Romain Felli’s journal article (2013) “Managing Climate Insecurity by Ensuring Continuous
Capital Accumulation: 'Climate Refugees' and 'Climate Migrants’”.
, 2
“Power, Nature, and Neoliberalism: The Political Ecology of Water in
Chile”
Water Regime: Set of rules, institutions & practices that govern the water resource management in
a given society/region. Can vary widely depending on cultural, political & environmental factors.
Water management in Chile in the context of neoliberal policies & globalisation:
● Crucial resource in the shifting economic & political landscape (commodified & privatised).
● Challenges → state’s role, water rights distribution & neoliberalism’s environmental impact.
➔ Neoliberalism: Political & economic ideology emphasising the importance of free
markets, individual freedoms, limited government intervention = characterised by
privatisation, deregulation & trade liberalisation.
Water Commodification: Process of treating water as a marketable commodity that can be
bought/sold → leads to the privatisation of water resources, with ownership rights granted to those
who can afford to purchase them. “Political ecology” issue in Chile:
● Various actors (e.g., state, private companies, civil society) compete for control.
● Historical roots:
○ Water has always been a scarce resource → management has been the subject of
various legal & institutional arrangements over the years.
○ Commodification/privatisation of water in Chile has been a key feature of the
country’s neoliberal economic policies = sought to reduce state involvement in
various sectors of the economy.
■ Pinochet’s dictatorship 1970s = current water management system’s origins.
■ 1980s/90s = institutionalisation of the system.
○ Water is viewed as a commodity (bought/sold on the open market) > public good
that should be managed in the interests of all citizens.
● Power relations shape water’s distribution → water is a physical, social & political resource.
➔ Neoliberal model has reinforced this, as access to water is largely determined by
market mechanisms > social/political ones.
➔ Privatisation of water has further entrenched these power structures.
Market-based water management = water as a natural resource that is managed/conserved →
legitimises its commodification/privatisation of water (obscures the social/political dimensions of
water management & naturalises existing power relations).
➔ Number of consequences:
◆ Access to water is determined by market forces > by need (hierarchy → exacerbates
existing power imbalances & reinforces social inequalities):
● Water rights are concentrated in the hands of a few powerful actors (e.g.,
large corporations & wealthy individuals).
● Small farmers & other marginalised groups have limited access to water,
while large agribusinesses & mining companies can use vast amounts of
water with little oversight or regulation.
, 3
◆ Negative environmental impacts from the over-extraction of water resources & a
lack of investment in infrastructure to manage water use → depletion of aquifers,
pollution of bodies of water, drying up of rivers.
➔ Chilean government’s role = inconsistent policies & tensions between the demands of
various stakeholders. Under pressure from:
◆ Neoliberal advocates → reduce government’s involvement in the water sector &
allow market forces to determine the allocation of water rights.
◆ Civil society groups & environmental activists → protect water resources + ensure
that they are managed in the public interest.
➔ Perspectives (e.g., farmers, environmental activists, government officials):
◆ While some farmers have been able to adapt to the new market-based system,
others have struggled to secure water rights & face economic & social challenges.
◆ While environmental activists have been successful in raising awareness about the
negative impacts of neoliberal water policies, they have faced significant challenges
in changing government policies & promoting alternative approaches.
Guided Reading Questions
1. What is political ecology? What, according to Budds, are its key concepts and claims?
● Political Ecology: Interdisciplinary field on the interactions between social, political,
economic & ecological processes + how they shape natural resources’ use & management.
● Key concepts & claims are:
○ Nature as a social construct influenced by human values, beliefs, power relations
→ water in Chile is conceptualised, managed & allocated by ecological, social &
political processes. Nature is ≠ fixed/objective.
○ Political economy of natural resource management → political (neoliberal
policies) & economic (market-oriented reforms) factors shape Chilean water
governance. Prioritising economic efficiency & private sector participation.
○ Power relations → power’s role in shaping water governance in Chile (central to
who has access to/controls/decides on water resources). Operates through
formal institutions (e.g., laws, policies) & informal practices (e.g., social norms).
2. How does Budds deploy a political ecological perspective in her analysis of water use in Chile?
● Examines how social, political, economic & ecological processes (e.g., neoliberal policies,
market-oriented reforms, political/economic factors) intersect to shape the governance of
water resources.
● Understanding Chile’s political ecology of water requires analysing the social, economic, &
political dimensions of water use > treating it as solely an ecological or technical issue.
3. Where is power located in Budds’ study? Who or what exercises power on her reading of the
Chilean case?
● Power is located within the social, political & economic processes shaping Chile’s water
governance.
● Various actors exercise power in different ways:
○ State = sets policies & laws related to water allocation & management.
○ Private companies = have significant influence in their control over water
resources & infrastructure.
○ Local communities.
● Complex/multifaceted power exercised through formal & informal processes shapes who
accesses/benefits from water management decisions.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller giacomoef. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.64. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
