Development-induced resettlement and displacement in the context of neo-extractivism in Latin America

Abstract

This article analyzes Development-Induced Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR) in the context of Latin American neo-extractivism, understood as the forced displacement of populations resulting from the impacts, particularly socio-environmental ones, of large-scale “development” projects, such as hydroelectric dams, agribusiness and mining ventures. It is grounded on the understanding that the notion of development has historical roots in processes of exploitation of both nature and the Global South, deeply shaped by colonial relations. In this sense, DID highlights the contradictions of this model by revealing how certain projects presented as promoters of development can result in territorial dispossession. Anchored in an approach centered on Latin American neo-extractivism, the article problematizes the nexus between development, environmental degradation, and forced mobility. The analysis highlights displacements triggered by large-scale development projects, namely: mining activity in Venezuela and the displacement of the Warao; the Pascua Lama binational project (Chile/Argentina) and the affectation of Diaguita communities; and the compulsory migrations caused by dam disasters in Brazil. Finally, it questions the extent to which displaced populations can be understood as environmental refugees, considering the limitations of existing legal and conceptual categories surrounding the notion of “refuge.”