Cultivating the grassroots: Deep ecology and community networks in Latin America Open Access

Abstract

The dominant influence of human activity on the environment has prompted some scientists to consider our current time to be a new era of the Earth’s history. Climate change and decreases in biodiversity are global phenomena that are a part of this impact. Yet on the local level, anthropogenic threats to the integrity of ecological systems are unique to each social and biological context. In my thesis, I will examine how grassroots networks of individuals and organizations in two communities in Latin America have begun to innovatively respond to local environmental threats particular to them. The first case-study is based on an agricultural community in Cerro Punta, Chiriquí in western Panama, where farming on steep slopes has generated concerns about water conservation and severe soil degradation. Farmers and community leaders, recognizing these anthropogenic threats, have begun implementing sustainable farming techniques and encouraging others to follow suit. Through qualitative data from personal interviews, I describe how farmers and NGOs participate in horizontal resource- sharing networks to protect their local environment. The second case-study tells the narrative of the environmental activism of the Mapuche people in south-central Chile, who have defended the integrity of their land from the exploitation of logging companies. The Mapuche have demonstrated the way in which a long-lasting tradition of resistance and negotiation can reinforce networked efforts to protect land. This exploration of two instances of how grassroots community networks developed a local consciousness for pressing local ecological issues offers reflections on ways forward for global environmentalism. 

Table of Contents

List of abbreviations ................ 2

Introduction ............................ 4

Chapter 1: Cerro Punta ........... 17

Chapter 2: The Mapuche ......... 35

Conclusion .............................. 55

Appendices ............................. 64

Bibliography ........................... 67 

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Spanish
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Environmental Philosophy Environmental Studies Sustainability
Keyword	deep ecology anthropocene environmentalism Chile Arne Naess Mapuche Panama
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Dr. Karen Stolley, Emory University
Committee Members	Dr. Tom Rogers, Emory University Dr. Bridgette Gunnels, Emory University

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