Böcker i Studies Compar Energy Environ-serien

From cave-ins and lung diseases to toxic sludge and water contamination, mining operations create a host of social and environmental problems, now including climate change. Breaking Ground tells the story of mining conflicts in Latin America, where ore extraction has become a big business. Based on a decade of research in gold mining towns, corporate headquarters, and legislative chambers, Rose J. Spalding develops a new interpretation of how mining operations secure government approval while also unpacking the circumstances under which anti-mining mobilizations come out on top. This innovative study of the mining sector's rise and fall answers persistent questions about the political logistics shaping the future of resource extraction.

Departing from the existing literature, The Roots of Engagement examines the individual-level factors that shape a person's opinions over resource extraction. It looks at what makes some individuals accept extractive activities close to their homes, while other individuals strongly reject them. Moisés Arce, Michael S. Hendricks, and Marc S. Polizzi find that an individual's level of social engagement--defined by a person's participation in local organizations--is critical for understanding these differences. Based on three original public opinion surveys and interviews conducted in Tía María in Peru, Fuleni in South Africa, and Rancho Grande in Nicaragua, The Roots of Engagement is the first book to measure social engagement in organizations and its connection to attitudes about extraction and development.