Social Movement Strategies for Articulating Claims for Socio-Ecological Justice: Glocal Asymmetries in the Chilean Forestry Sector
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Date
2012
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ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Abstract
Pinochet's 1974 forestry law led to a rapid increase in development of the sector in southern Chile. Although there have been new employment opportunities and associated economic multiplier effects, the negative impacts of the sector, both socially and environmentally, have been widespread and have generated responses from diverse social organisations. Nevertheless, the capacity of these organisations to act collectively and create alliances against the sector's dominant, mainstream actors has been weak. The article argues that different social movements fail to capitalise on horizontal linkages in order to press their claims for socio-ecological justice related to the development of the forestry sector. This is a product of a strong stateindustry link and high concentration in a sector dominated by two firms, a relic of the power geometries established under the dictatorship. Different social movementsunions, environmental NGOs, and indigenous groupsmanifest these concerns about the socio-ecological impacts and make claims against the sector which often lead to direct conflicts. This article focuses how these claims are made, both horizontally among actors within the region, and vertically beyond the region to the national and global scales (glocalisation). Despite developing stronger vertical networks, the movements remain fragmented and marginal relative to the influence of the forestry firms. Given this lack of capacity to generate collective demands, grassroots claims for redistribution and rights protection are severely restricted.
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Keywords
Chile, forestry, social movements, glocalisation, socio-ecological justice, POWER