The role of domestic policy coalitions in extractive industries' governance: Disentangling the politics of “responsible mining” in the Philippines

Abstract

Under what conditions do global regulatory norms become domesticated in highly contentious policy areas like oil, gas, and mining sectors? Departing from norm diffusion and environmental politics scholarship, the paper draws from the sociological literature on “coalition-building” to explain the partial, uneven adoption of global regulations aimed at setting standards for corporate behavior in the context of large-scale mining. We process trace the variation in coalitional politics in the contemporary Philippine's mining regulatory framework through a within-case comparison of mining policies under Arroyo (2001–2010), Aquino (2010–2016), and Duterte (2016-present) governments. We argue that the successful inclusion of civil society and mining communities into policy-making processes can substantively contribute toward mining policies that are acceptable to those who face the socio-environmental consequences of resource exploitation. In contrast, highly narrow governing coalitions tend to fuel resistance and enhance political opposition vis-à-vis large-scale mineral extraction.