Dialogue as racism? The promotion of “Canadian dialogue” in Guatemala's extractive sector

Abstract

“Dialogue” is an essential element of Canada's CSR policies. Although the notion evokes a rich tradition in political and legal philosophy, in the context of mining governance its political and normative implications have received very little attention. This article contributes to a better understanding of such implications by conducting a case study of the promotion of dialogue by the Canadian state in Guatemala. Through critical discourse analysis, I examine logical correspondences between dialogue as a normative framework and a racist discourse that emanates from the Guatemalan oligarchy. I also examine interrelationship between concrete dialogue promotion and the repression of mining opponents. I find that the promotion of dialogue by Canada enunciates political ontologies that resonate at the core of Guatemala's post-conflict politics and contributes to stigmatizing rights-based opposition to mining, hindering Indigenous collective action and undermining democratization efforts.