Seminar

Epistemologies of the South: Conflicts, Resistances and Alternatives to Life vs. Extractivist and Financial Capitalism

September 28, 2018, 15h00

Room 2, CES | Alta

Overview

Territories in Conflict: Research, training and action for capacity building and building of life alternatives is an action-research project led by the consortium Gernika Gogoratuz (GGG) and Gernikatik Mundura (GM), Basque Country, in partnership with the Instituto Hegoa of the University of the Basque Country, the Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, WLSA Mozambique and the University of Tolima, Colombia.

This project has three main objectives. The first is to promote a research-action process that allows understanding the complexities present in the territories and the conflicts generated and fed by the neoliberal, patriarchal and extractivist order carried out by the transnational corporations. The second is to learn more about the various forms of resistance and alternatives of life that are underway and deal with transnational power in the concerned territories. The third is to think, design and develop training tools that can be appropriated by different communities and groups in order to contribute to the strengthening of their collective capacities.

To this end, an international research group carries out three case studies: in Tolima, Colombia; in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique and in Urdaibai, Basque Country. Using an intersectional feminist approach, and paying particular attention to the dynamics between the local and the global, this research has four axes of analysis: access to land; gender inequalities; sustainabilities; and cultural identities.


The Epistemologies of the South and the Strengthening of Collective Capabilities are two central theoretical frameworks in the conceptualization and development of this research-action project.

In order to deepen and broaden the scientific debate around the main theme of the project, the territories in conflict by extractivist and financial capitalism, patriarchy and the colonialism of geopolitics of knowledge, we propose to hold an international seminar at CES on September 28 between 3 pm and 7 pm. In this seminar, researchers and activists from the various countries involved will present and discuss some conceptual issues that are the basis of the research-action work, and focus on what is already known about the cases of Cabo Delgado, Tolima and Urdaibai. The seminar programme includes a wide space for discussion and debate on issues arising from joint reflection.