“Socios”: the contested morality of “partnerships” in Indigenous community-mining company relations, Northern Chile
Abstract
Resumen En 2007, una comunidad atacameña del norte de Chile y una empresa multinacional minera de cobre renovaron un trato de diez años con respecto al uso del territorio por parte de la empresa y el impacto causado debido a la extracción de recursos de agua subterránea. Las negociaciones entre la comunidad atacameña y la empresa minera están influenciadas por la presencia de un estado remoto o incluso ausente, lo que ha marcado la historia de la industria minera, y un discurso hegemónico internacional sobre los beneficios de las asociaciones de acuerdo a la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa. Los valores morales implícitos en la idea de “socio” sirven y a la vez restringen una relación que a primera vista pareciera caracterizarse por la hegemonía del neoliberalismo, pero narrativas locales de autosuficiencia y patronazgo histórico revelan ambigüedades y raíces más profundas. Este análisis etnográfico del compromiso comunidad‐empresa suscita una crítica de las condiciones de ser socios y lo enmarca en términos de controvertidas interpretaciones sobre la moralidad de las relaciones sociales y económicas.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Our research demonstrates that Atacameño action in relation to agreements is not simply a form of 'neoliberal agency' or a Gramscian consent to neoliberal instrumentality.
“Likewise, our research demonstrates that Atacameño action in relation to agreements is not simply a form of 'neoliberal agency' (Gershon, 2011) or a Gramscian consent to neoliberal instrumentality (see also Babidge, 2013).”
From Negotiated Agreements, Indigenous Peoples and Extractive Industry in the Salar de Atacama, Chile: When Is an Agreement More than a Contract? (2023) · cites this paper as Babidge, 2013
As Babidge (2013) argues, Indigenous organizations are not only minor 'partners' in these agreements, but also those who risk the most, since the integrity of their environment is at stake and thus the very future of their communities.
“As Babidge (2013) argues, Indigenous organizations are not only minor 'partners' in these agreements, but also those who risk the most, since the integrity of their environment is at stake and thus the very future of their communities.”
From Mining indigenous territories: Consensus, tensions and ambivalences in the Salar de Atacama (2022) · cites this paper as Babidge, 2013
Cites
Neoliberalism as Creative Destruction
Harvey, D. (2007) · The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science · doi:10.1177/0002716206296780 · Cited by 1,579 · see citing works
The Anthropology of the state: a reader
(2007) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.44-2774 · Cited by 1,397 · see citing works
The Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America
Madsen, W., & Taussig, M. (1981) · Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion · doi:10.2307/1385555 · Cited by 969 · see citing works
Money and the Morality of Exchange
(1989) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511621659 · Cited by 842 · see citing works
Social licence and mining: A critical perspective
Owen, J. R., & Kemp, D. (2013) · Resources Policy · doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2012.06.016 · Cited by 706 · see citing works
We Eat the Mines and the Mines Eat Us: Dependency and Exploitation in Bolivian Tin Mines
Burke, M., & Nash, J. (1980) · Technology and Culture · doi:10.2307/3103196 · Cited by 705 · see citing works
Gershon, I. (2011) · Current Anthropology · doi:10.1086/660866 · Cited by 616 · see citing works
Resource Wars: The Anthropology of Mining
Ballard, C., & Banks, G. (2003) · Annual Review of Anthropology · doi:10.1146/annurev.anthro.32.061002.093116 · Cited by 589 · see citing works
Contention and Ambiguity: Mining and the Possibilities of Development
Bebbington, A., Hinojosa, L., Bebbington, D. H., Burneo, M. L., & Warnaars, X. S. (2008) · Development and Change · doi:10.1111/j.1467-7660.2008.00517.x · Cited by 580 · see citing works
Introduction: Money and the morality of exchange
Parry, J. P., & Bloch, M. E. F. (1989) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511621659.001 · Cited by 561 · see citing works
Kapelus, P. (2002) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1023/a:1016570929359 · Cited by 432 · see citing works
Challenging Neoliberalism in Latin America
Silva, E. (2009) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511803222 · Cited by 429 · see citing works
A Companion to the anthropology of politics
(2005) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.42-4108 · Cited by 401 · see citing works
Lazar, S. (2008) · Duke University Press eBooks · doi:10.2307/j.ctv11vc8cs · Cited by 376 · see citing works
An Analysis of Ritual Co-Parenthood (Compadrazgo)
Mintz, S. W., & Wolf, E. R. (1950) · Journal of Anthropological Research · doi:10.1086/soutjanth.6.4.3628562 · Cited by 342 · see citing works
Rajak, D. (2011) · Stanford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1515/9780804781619 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
Welker, M. (2009) · Cultural Anthropology · doi:10.1111/j.1548-1360.2009.00029.x · Cited by 281 · see citing works
KIRSCH, S. (2007) · American Ethnologist · doi:10.1525/ae.2007.34.2.303 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Victims of the Chilean Miracle
(2004) · Duke University Press eBooks · doi:10.1215/9780822385851 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Beckman, T., Colwell, A., & Cunningham, P. H. (2009) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-009-0190-1 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Environmental politics in Chile: Legacies of dictatorship and democracy
Carruthers, D. (2001) · Third World Quarterly · doi:10.1080/01436590120061642 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Utting, P. (2007) · Third World Quarterly · doi:10.1080/01436590701336572 · Cited by 147 · see citing works
The Moral Economy of Water: Equity and Antiquity in the Andean Commons
Trawick, P. (2001) · American Anthropologist · doi:10.1525/aa.2001.103.2.361 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL POLICIES TOWARD INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: Perspectives from Latin America
de la Peña, G. (2005) · Annual Review of Anthropology · doi:10.1146/annurev.anthro.34.081804.120343 · Cited by 129 · see citing works
The earth and the state: the sources and meanings of money in Northern Potosí, Bolivia
Harris, O. (1989) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511621659.010 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Formal Law and Local Water Control in the Andean Region: A Fiercely Contested Field
de Vos, H., Boelens, R., & Bustamante, R. (2006) · International Journal of Water Resources Development · doi:10.1080/07900620500405049 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Ferry, E. (2002) · Cultural Anthropology · doi:10.1525/can.2002.17.3.331 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Finn, J. L. (1998) · University of California Press eBooks · doi:10.1525/california/9780520211360.001.0001 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
The Compadrazgo as a Reflection of the Natural and Spiritual Person
GUDEMAN, S. F. (1971) · Proceedings of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland · doi:10.2307/3031761 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Sanders, T. (2008) · Anthropological Theory · doi:10.1177/1463499608090787 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Suzán, G. C., & Fallon, W. (2010) · International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/01443331011085259 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Neoliberal associations: Property, company, and family in the Argentine oil fields
Shever, E. (2008) · American Ethnologist · doi:10.1111/j.1548-1425.2008.00106.x · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Testing the Limits: Neoliberal Ecologies from Pinochet to Bachelet
Latta, A., & Aguayo, B. E. C. (2012) · Latin American Perspectives · doi:10.1177/0094582x12439050 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Rwabizambuga, A. (2007) · Business and Society Review · doi:10.1111/j.1467-8594.2007.00302.x · Cited by 35 · see citing works
The firm rules: Multinational corporations, policy space and neoliberalism
Haslam, P. A. (2007) · Third World Quarterly · doi:10.1080/01436590701507594 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Bresnahan, R. (2003) · Latin American Perspectives · doi:10.1177/0094582x03256252 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Contar a los indígenas en Chile: Autoadscripción étnica en la experiencia censal de 1992 y 2002
Kröll, H. G., Jorge Iván Vergara del, S., & Rolf Foerster, G. (2005) · Estudios Atacameños Arqueología y antropología surandinas · doi:10.4067/s0718-10432005000200006 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Changing Scales and the Scales of Change
Jiménez, A. C. (2005) · Critique of Anthropology · doi:10.1177/0308275x05052019 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Burying the Past: Locality, Lived History, and Death in an Aymara Ritual of Remembrance
Orta, A. (2002) · Cultural Anthropology · doi:10.1525/can.2002.17.4.471 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Roosters at Midnight: Indigenous Signs and Stigma in Local Bolivian Politics
Albro, R. (2010) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Carlos Aldunate del, S., Victoria Castro, R., & Varinia Varela, G. (2008) · Estudios Atacameños Arqueología y antropología surandinas · doi:10.4067/s0718-10432008000100006 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Pachamama y desarrollo: Paisajes conflictivos en el Desierto de Atacama
Barros, A. (1997) · Estudios atacameños · doi:10.22199/s07181043.1997.0013.00006 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Challenges in Chilean Intercultural Policies
Lučić, M. C. (2005) · PoLAR Political and Legal Anthropology Review · doi:10.1525/pol.2005.28.1.112 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Peine: Saber andino, manejo de recursos y transformaciones
Núñez, M. K. (1998) · Estudios Atacameños Arqueología y antropología surandinas · doi:10.22199/s07181043.1998.0016.00011 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
THE COMPANY STATE: A CHILEAN CASE‐STUDY
Porteous, J. D. (1973) · Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes · doi:10.1111/j.1541-0064.1973.tb00077.x · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Comparing informal and formal community-company relations
Babidge, S. (2011) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Liu, W., Agusdinata, D. B., & Myint, S. W. (2019) · International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation · doi:10.1016/j.jag.2019.04.016 · Cited by 162 · see citing works
Harvesting Lithium: water, brine and the industrial dynamics of production in the Salar de Atacama
Bustos-Gallardo, B., Bridge, G., & Prieto, M. (2021) · Geoforum · doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2021.01.001 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Babidge, S. (2016) · The Australian Journal of Anthropology · doi:10.1111/taja.12139 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Self-citationForget, M., & Bos, V. (2022) · Energy Research & Social Science · doi:10.1016/j.erss.2021.102477 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Bolados García, P. (2014) · Estudios atacameños · doi:10.4067/s0718-10432014000200015 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
“…comunidades y corporaciones mineras, así como también las dimensiones éticas y técnicas involucradas, tanto el trabajo de Carrasco (2010) como el de Babidge (2013) se presentan como trabajos pioneros sobre las relaciones de negociación/confrontación entre comunidades indígenas atacameñas y…”
BackgroundMining indigenous territories: Consensus, tensions and ambivalences in the Salar de Atacama
Lorca, M., Olivera Andrade, M., Escosteguy, M., Köppel, J., Scoville-Simonds, M., & Hufty, M. (2022) · The Extractive Industries and Society · doi:10.1016/j.exis.2022.101047 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
O'Faircheallaigh, C., & Babidge, S. (2023) · Development and Change · doi:10.1111/dech.12767 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Self-citationCarrasco, A. (2016) · The Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology · doi:10.1111/jlca.12175 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
S-LCA of lithium mining in Chile and its potential impacts on water and the local community
Roche, L., Link, A., Marinova, S., Coroama, V., & Finkbeiner, M. (2025) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/s11367-024-02378-8 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“…of research focuses on understanding either the hydrology of the SdA basin (Houston 2002; Houston and Hartley 2003; Marazuela et al. 2019a, b; Moran et al. 2022; Valdivielso et al. 2022) or the cultural aspects and indigenous view of water (Babidge 2013, 2016; Jerez et al. 2021; Lorca et al. 2022).”
Flores Fernández, C., & Alba, R. (2023) · Frontiers in Water · doi:10.3389/frwa.2023.1075139 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
- Authors
- Babidge, S.
- Affiliations
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Babidge, Sally
- ORCID
- Babidge, Sally
- Venue
- The Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-07
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 274-293
- ISSN
- 1085-7052 (ISSN-L)
- 1935-4932
- 1935-4940
- OpenAlex
- W1736257346
- Cited by
- 78
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 6.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian Research Council (#DP1094069)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Mining and Resource Management
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Extractivism and Socioeconomic Issues
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Indigenous Studies in Latin America
- Keywords
- mining partnerships, corporate social responsibility, morality, Atacama Desert, copper mining, groundwater pumping, neoliberalism, patronage, self-sufficiency, local narratives, indigenous peoples
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
