Epistemic, cultural, and organizational perspectives for the study of socio-environmental conflict. The case of mennonite migrants in Puerto Gaitán, Colombia

Abstract

This article analyzes the socio-environmental conflicts generated by the arrival of 400 Anabaptist migrant families from Chihuahua, Mexico, to Puerto Gaitán, Colombia. This conflict is approached from an epistemic, cultural, and organizational (ECO) perspective. The proposal is based on the work of the philosopher of science Isabelle Stengers (2014) and the metaphor of the political system to study organizations by Gareth Morgan (1990). The article considers the different epistemologies involved in territorial disputes over Mennonite agricultural expansion, the legal defense of the territory by the Sikuani indigenous people, and the regulatory role of the Meta Environmental Corporation, charged with promoting the conservation and use of natural resources. The research is qualitative, descriptive, and diachronic. Fieldwork was carried out in the department of Meta. Data collection was based on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and a review of secondary sources. The main contribution lies in taking a critical stance, considering the complexity of the world by considering all cultural and organizational forms to confront climate change by promoting mutual care.