The Politics of Transnational Advocacy Against Chinese, Indian, and Brazilian Extractive Projects in the Global South.

Leah Shipton,Peter Dauvergne

doi:10.1177/10704965211019083

Leah Shipton, Peter Dauvergne

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/10704965211019083

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Abstract

Activists in the global South have been navigating two powerful trends since the mid-1990s: intensifying state repression and rising investment in extractive projects from the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS). In this context, this article explores the underlying forces determining the formation, endurance, and power of BRICS–South transnational advocacy networks (TANs) opposed to BRICS-based corporate extraction in the global South. By analyzing activism against Chinese, Indian, and Brazilian extractive projects in Ecuador, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, respectively, the research reveals the critical importance of domestic politics and civil society characteristics in both the BRICS and host states for shaping BRICS–South TANs, including which groups assume leadership, the extent of cross-national cooperation, and the role of nonprofits headquartered in the global North. The findings uncover core reasons for the variable resiliency and capacity of BRICS–South TANs, opening up new avenues of research and offering valuable insights for activists and policymakers.

Highlights

Intensifying suppression of dissent and the growing power of emerging economies over the past few decades have significantly altered the conditions and strategies of activists campaigning against transnational corporate mining, plantations, and land grabbing in the global South
We argue, influence how ready, willing, and able civil society in the global South is to pursue BRICS–South transnational activism: the extent of legal protections and political repression within each state, the degree of domestic political and economic stability, the experience of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and Indigenous groups in resisting extractive projects at home and abroad, and the priority that local NGOs and Indigenous peoples place on building South–South solidarity
Our analysis provides a high-level overview of BRICS–South advocacy networks opposing BRICS extractive projects, including offering insights into the conditions under which these networks form and evolve

Summary

Introduction

Intensifying suppression of dissent and the growing power of emerging economies over the past few decades have significantly altered the conditions and strategies of activists campaigning against transnational corporate mining, plantations, and land grabbing in the global South. We argue, influence how ready, willing, and able civil society in the global South is to pursue BRICS–South transnational activism: the extent of legal protections and political repression within each state, the degree of domestic political and economic stability, the experience of NGOs and Indigenous groups in resisting extractive projects at home and abroad, and the priority that local NGOs and Indigenous peoples place on building South–South solidarity.

Results

Conclusion