Challenging the three faces of extractivism: the Mapuche struggle and the forestry industry in Chile

Abstract

The Mapuche movement is among the most important social movements in post-dictatorship Chile. Since the 1990s, the Mapuche struggle has increasingly turned into a violent conflict over land usage and environmental degradation. By referring to theories of global capitalism and political ecology, we show how forestry extractivism has shaped the Mapuche struggle. Based on extensive fieldwork in the region of La Araucanía, we analyze how different forms of inequalities including social marginalization, cultural repression, and ecological inequalities have led to discontent. In reaction to this multi-dimensional discontent, the Mapuche have developed indigenous forms of ‘collective bargaining by riot’ by attacking the local extractivist network. We identify the transnational forestry industry as a major driver of conflict and discuss the limits of Chile’s extractivist model.