Defending the territory. Critical considerations on the socio environmental conflicts in Mexico.

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María Fernanda Paz Salinas

Abstract

When territorial conflicts arise, from what positions are territories being defended? What is in dispute? What projects are carried out through the conflict? To answer to these questions, the present work offers an analysis of cases of socio-environmental conflict that pose territorial claims. I am interested in several points: firstly, to problematize the concept of territory, not to give it as something given and preexistent to the confrontation; Secondly, to know the various arguments upon which the defense is justified and to understand the place that the protagonists claim to have, and finally, to give an account of the actions and socio-historical horizons that are drawn and constructed from these processes. I consider that although these demands are inserted in long-term processes, there is no timeless subject - fixed in time and space- that seeks self-assertion through these struggles, nor there is a preexisting and clearly delimited territory as an object of defense. The hypothesis of departure is that both the subject and the territory, which are mutually involved, are constructed in the conflictive action, are (re) defined, are (re) affirmed and projected socially and temporally. Thus, the objective of this work is to understand the processes of constitution of the place-subject.

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How to Cite
Paz Salinas, M. F. (2017). Defending the territory. Critical considerations on the socio environmental conflicts in Mexico. Acta Sociológica, (73), 197–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acso.2017.08.007

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Author Biography

María Fernanda Paz Salinas, Investigadora adscrita al Centro Regional de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias de la UNAM.

Investigadora adscrita al Centro Regional de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias de la UNAM. Líneas de investigación: conflictos socioambientales, movimientos socioterritoriales. Correo electrónico: pazs@unam.mx