Contested Territory: Assessing Claims over Land and Natural Resources in Latin America

Territorial rights claimed by states may be divided into a right of jurisdiction, a right to control borders, and a right to control and use the land and natural resources within their geographical space. Contrasted to the burgeoning literature on the for mer two elements, political theorists and philosophers have paid little attention to the latter. This omission is especially problematic in Latin America, where land and natural resources play a fundamental role in the national economy and development, an d the assumption that the state ought to hold a monopolistic control over them has become increasingly contested. Pitted against the state and against multinational companies acting under the governments' authorization, different agents are raising their voice; among them, indigenous groups, grass-roots associations, and social and environmental NGOs. They may demand restitution of ancestral lands, protection of their holdings from "land-grabbers", or greater power over the administration of renewable and non-renewable resources. Although not lacking in rhetorical force, the normative grounds of these demands often remain unclear and in need of further elucidation. The two primary objectives of this workshop are to promote high-quality academic research o n this topic, which remains under-theorized in political theory and philosophy despite its growing importance in the social, economic and political arena; and to enhance knowledge among Norwegian researchers and students about the main normative positions held in this respect in Latin America. This is especially relevant given the growing presence of private and public Norwegian companies in large-scale projects in this continent, in areas like oil exploration, hydroelectric energy and salmon farming. Sec ondary objectives are to stimulate the creation of an international, multi-disciplinary network of researchers on this topic, as well as to promote publication of their articles in academic journals and media.