240522 SE Impacts, social dynamics and legal aspects in the context of extractive industrial projects (P4) (2017W)

This seminar introduces to contexts of natural resource extraction projects; be it mineral resources or timber, water, land and the many more. The course will, firstly, frame the interrelation of people and societies, with a special focus on indigenous peoples, with concepts of the environment and nature. Secondly, it draws on aspects of community-industry relations and local participation in the extractive sector. Thirdly, a focus will be on legal frameworks such as land rights, subsurface rights, the rights to prior participation and to self-government as well as on legal contracts and arrangements between indigenous or local communities with the industry and state bodies as well as international regulations/laws. Corporate conduct and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as well as Corporate Sustainability (CS) concepts will also be discussed, also from the perspective and legal understanding of indigenous peoples. Changes in settlement patterns, regional and urban development are further subjects in this field. Finally, critical, theoretical approaches to e.g., legal regulations, extractivism, environmental impacts as well as loss of the basis for subsistence economy or destruction of indigenous spiritual landscapes are relevant themes in this context.

The seminar offers discussion of the following questions: What are imaginaries over legal frameworks among indigenous societies and cultures. What are the means on part of the industry and the state bodies as well among local governments and groups exist over implementing equality and respectful interaction? In what ways is the concept of sustainability useful for the shaping of future development of the extractive sector in order to benefits long-term local social and economic development as well as societal wellbeing? What are the challenges for Anthropologists in terms of methodology regarding tackling these issues and the assessment of the above described topic considering conditions of intercultural and social conflicts and neo-colonial dominance?

Method:
The first block-session will introduce to the concepts and themes mentioned above and themes for presentations will be distributed among small groups of students.
There should be a geographic focus on the Arctic region and the Andean countries, possibly also on case studies from the South Pacific.
The second block session will be devoted to discussion of the compulsory literature.
In the 2 days-block session students-groups will present their theme. In doing so, all students learn different case studies in more detail.
Students will work out individual seminar papers on topics that are related to their presentation.

The two-days seminar block will take place in a seminar centre outside of Vienna (Seminarhaus in Großrussbach) in order to guarantee a joyful and intense learning experience.

Cost of overnight stay in the seminar centre and travel: ca 80 Euros including food.

Aims:
The students will develop skills in the fields of intercultural issues over resource conflicts, learn the basics in legal and contractual frameworks of extractive industry – community relation as well as they will gain insights into theories such as resource curse, extractivism, indigenous cosmologies and indigenous relations to the environment. The students will intensely work on their seminar papers with a strong feedback support by the teachers in order to gain research writing skills.