Past event
Environmental struggles in the Andean-Amazonian socio-ecological system
Wildfires devour the Amazon. Devastating droughts affect Andean populations, crops and wildlife. These phenomena are interconnected and, to a high degree, human-made. The greed characterising the extreme phase of capitalism we live in – mega mining projects, unsustainable and deregulated foresting, and agro-industries – is destroying the balance of Andean and Amazonian ecosystems. At the same time, all these exploitative practices are contested by the Indigenous stewards of the territory, who risk their lives opposing diverse land-grabbing practices, legal and illegal, conducted by transnational companies often supported by corrupt governments.
Join us for an afternoon programme on pressing issues that affect us all.
3-4 pm. Presentation of the book ‘The Amazon in Times of War' (2024) by author Marcos Colón in conversation with Patrick O'Hare (Social Anthropology). This volume presents both direct and indirect evidence showcasing the deliberate state policies behind the violence and devastation inflicted upon the Brazilian Amazon and its inhabitants.
4-5.30 pm. Screening of medium-length film ‘Regresan, Aguas Internas' (Maizal collective, Peru, 2024) followed by Q&A with the member of Maizal collective, Amanda Gonzales, in conversation with Isabel Seguí (Film Studies) and Sara Guerrero (Social Anthropology and Film Studies). Sacred reservoirs in the Andes mountain range are the hidden sources of the Amazon River. This film chronicles the decades-long fight of the people in the highlands of Cajamarca against open pit mining operations that expropriate and contaminate the headwaters, poisoning thousands of miles ahead.