Localizing transparency and accountability in extractives

Abstract

Natural resources can become a catalyst for growth and development in resource-abundant developing countries if they are governed in a transparent and accountable manner. Despite the popularization of transparency and accountability in academic and public policy discussions, we know little about how they become part of daily interactions. This article critically analyses how and what kind of transparency and accountability is discursively enacted by community actors in politically unstable settings with weak institutions such as Kyrgyzstan. The case study shows the extension of the transparency and accountability agenda from right-to-know and environmental-financial reporting to direct engagement and livelihood improvement. The analysis suggests that political-economic opportunities and youth-led community activism define the local approach to transparency and accountability. This article calls for studying transparency and accountability beyond formal institutionalism and top-down (elite) politics.