Ocean and coastal grabbing of territories: Two case studies in the Colombian Caribbean

Abstract

This article presents the cases of two Caribbean African-descent artisanal fisheries communities in Old Providence and Barú (Colombian Caribbean), in relation to the expropriation of their customary ocean and coastal territories. It exposes the historical configuration of these, through the traditional social uses of the surrounding ecosystems and analyzes the changes caused by tourism development, property speculation and some conservation initiatives that, within the framework of the introduction of neoliberal capitalism logics to these territories, have led to their progressive hoarding.