Gender and natural resource extraction in Latin America: Feminist engagements with geopolitical positionality

Abstract

This article resituates the debate on approaches to gender in contexts of natural r This article resituates the debate on approaches to gender in contexts of natural resource extraction in Latin America and, subsequently, outlines an intersectional, feminist proposal focused on geopolitical positionality, which points to the complex and global power relations that (re)position individuals and collectivities residing in spaces that have geopolitical value in a gendered way. This article draws on both empirical and theoretical research in/on extractive contexts, focusing on women, masculinities, and sexual markets. By paying special attention to the diversity of women’s experiences and productive activities in extractive contexts, this article visibilizes their agency, as well as generates a more accurate account of how extractivist regimes operate and reconfigure gender relations on a local level. This expands existing approaches, allowing a situated, feminist critique, which helps to refine the study of gender and gendered power relations in their intersection with processes of natural resource extraction.  Resumen: Genero y extraccion de recursos naturales en Latinoamerica: Involucramientos feministas con posicionalidad geopolitica Este articulo reubica el debate sobre los abordajes al genero en contextos de extraccion de recursos naturales en Latinoamerica y, posteriormente, esboza una propuesta feminista interseccional enfocada en la posicionalidad geopolitica, que apunta a relaciones de poder complejas y globales que (re)posicionan de forma generica a individuos y colectividades residentes en espacios de valor geopolitico. Este articulo se basa en investigacion empirica y teorica en contextos extractivos, centrada en mujeres, masculinidades y mercados sexuales. Prestando especial atencion a la diversidad de las experiencias y actividades productivas de las mujeres en contextos extractivos, este articulo visibiliza su agencia, asi como genera un relato mas acertado de como los regimenes extractivistas operan y reconfiguran las relaciones de genero a nivel local. Esto amplia abordajes existentes, permitiendo una critica feminista situada, que ayuda a refinar el estudio de genero y las relaciones genericas de poder en su interseccion con los procesos de extraccion de recursos naturales.