Anthropological Perspectives on Gold Mining and Cattle Raising in Amazonia
Professors Hoelle and Pinedo have contributed critically important research detailing the experiences of ranchers in Brazil and miners in Peru. This seminar will provide a rich exploration of the motivations for deforestation in the Amazon, as well as a fascinating example of how grounded social science can inform environmental policy.
—Robert Heilmayr, Assistant Professor, Bren School
Watch a recording of this talk here
ABSTRACT
The majority of research on rainforest destruction in Amazonia focuses on the policy and economic factors that drive it or the environmental and human health impacts of these activities. Less is known about the experience of people who live in and navigate these contexts and their motivations for pursuing livelihoods with negative environmental impacts. Understanding their perspectives is necessary for finding alternatives that are more environmentally sustainable. In this talk, we combine our research on two particularly impactful activities from neighboring Amazon regions: gold mining in Madre de Dios, Peru (Pinedo) and cattle raising in Acre, Brazil (Hoelle). Drawing on our anthropological research, we describe the on-the-ground dynamics, context, and local logics in which these particular activities occur. We aim to show what grounded social scientific research in Amazonia looks like and offer suggestions for what such an approach can contribute to environmental science research and policy. We also highlight the benefits of North-South research partnerships and consider what such collaborations can offer for a broader understanding of environmental issues across the Pan-Amazon region.
BIOS
Danny Pinedo is associate professor of anthropology at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima, Peru. He has a PhD in anthropology from the University of Florida. His research focuses on the politics of sustainable development, conservation, and the commons and, more recently, on the interplay between indigeneity, territory, community, and state formation in the Peruvian Amazon. He is currently visiting UCSB as part of his participation in the Fulbright Amazonia program.
Jeffrey Hoelle is an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at UCSB. His research focuses on understanding environmentally impactful practices, such as cattle raising and gold mining, in the Brazilian Amazon. Hoelle works on collaborative interdisciplinary projects that aim to understand the interlinked social, political, and economic dimensions of deforestation and land conflict.