Territory as a Contradictory Space: The Promises and Conflicts of Extractive Activities in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Chile

Abstract

The conflicts over extractive activities have grown in the last decade and represent a challenge for the countries, in their desire to advance in economic growth and socio-environmental welfare. The cases of Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Chile are analyzed, placing the territory as a social space in the center. It is argued that conflicts represent a questioning of the role of both private and public agents, and press towards the implementation of processes of institutional change, which involve: a) promoting and refining legal instruments to capture surplus derived from the extractive activity, to direct them to investment in other areas of development; b) develop planning and territorial ordering instruments; c) define prior consultation processes; d) advance in decentralization and strengthening of subnational governments; and e) strengthen the articulation capacity of the actors involved to arrive at institutional arrangements for economic growth and inclusive development.