Extractive industries and Indigenous peoples: A changing dynamic?

Indigenous peoples and other rural or remote populations often bear the social and environmental cost of extractive industries while obtaining little of the wealth they generate. Recent developments including national and international recognition of Indigenous rights, and the growth of ‘corporate s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of rural studies 2013-04, Vol.30, p.20-30
Main Author: O'Faircheallaigh, Ciaran
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activism
Australia
Case Studies
Corporations
Discourse Analysis
Economic Factors
Extractive industries
Foreign Countries
Fuels
Geographic Isolation
Government policy
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous Populations
Indigenous rights
Industry
Land Use
Mining
Natural Resources
Persistent poverty
Public Policy
Rural Development
Rural Economics
Rural Population
Social Justice
Social Responsibility
Sustainable Development
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Summary:Indigenous peoples and other rural or remote populations often bear the social and environmental cost of extractive industries while obtaining little of the wealth they generate. Recent developments including national and international recognition of Indigenous rights, and the growth of ‘corporate social responsibility’ initiatives among mining corporations, offers the prospect that for Indigenous peoples at least their former economic and social marginalisation may be reduced. A case study of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) development in a remote region of Western Australia shows that these changes are indeed creating opportunities to shape the local impacts of extractive industries. It also illustrates that effective political mobilization by Indigenous peoples is essential if they are to grasp these opportunities, especially as growing pressures to expand extractive industries across the globe increase demands for access to Indigenous lands. Recent Indigenous experience holds implications for theory on the regional political economy of extractive industries and lessons for other rural and remote populations. ► Recognition of Indigenous rights can change the impact of extractive industries. ► Political mobilisation based on Aboriginal cultural values is the critical factor shaping change. ► Existing theory underplays the capacity of Indigenous people to exploit specific political configurations.
ISSN:0743-0167
1873-1392
DOI:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2012.11.003