Doctoral Dissertation Research: Socio-Politcal Dimensions of Solid Waste Disposal

这个博士论文研究改进项目将分析墨西哥瓦哈卡市的城市固体废物冲突。该研究将对比两个核心团体及其盟友的空间和代表性战术和战略，他们都参与了城市生活垃圾管理的政治内斗。这两个主要群体是：(a)社区活动人士，他们反对目前垃圾场的位置和管理；(b)拾荒者，他们蹲在垃圾堆上，靠回收垃圾为生。这两个组使用不同的垃圾表示（作为风险或资源）；实施不同的空间组织策略；并与国家和非政府组织（NGO）、地方和全球组织建立竞争网络。这些网络使两个核心群体能够影响垃圾场的管理和更广泛的城市发展政策的方向。为了评估这些政治，本研究解决了以下主要问题：如何通过(a)组织的空间策略（包括他们如何在城市空间中运作，他们在抗议期间占用的空间，以及他们的联盟建设）调动对垃圾的不同观点（从风险到资源），以及(b)他们对垃圾问题的表述？一组辅助问题是：组织的普通成员对垃圾作为资源或风险的看法在多大程度上有所不同？这种可变性是如何影响组织凝聚力的？这种凝聚力在多大程度上受到组织内部阶级、性别和土著（在瓦哈卡的16个不同土著群体中）差异的调节？更广泛地说，这项研究将有助于了解全球南方的城市固体废物问题和解决方案。虽然人们对北方国家，尤其是美国的“垃圾危机”给予了很多关注，但对南半球国家的垃圾政治关注较少。具有讽刺意味的是，当北方国家正在处理几十年来的选址问题和昂贵且环境可疑的都市固体垃圾技术的后果时，墨西哥等国家正试图进口这些相同的知识和实践，以努力实现“现代化”。然而，在这个非常不同的文化环境中，垃圾不仅仅是“废物”，而且是“矿石”——一种作为家庭生存战略的一部分而开采的资源。这些对垃圾的不同理解和使用，构成了全球南方国家围绕城市土地和社会再生产的一系列关键冲突的基础。简而言之，在瓦哈卡，就像在拉丁美洲、非洲和亚洲的许多其他发展中的城市一样，城市垃圾的政治根源在于社区活动家和拾荒者之间的冲突，前者渴望确保一个健康的环境，后者依靠正规经济中丢弃的东西生存。此外，当地非政府组织领导人以及国家和国际组织提出的可持续发展理想只有在瓦哈卡这样的特定地方才能实现。随着整个全球南部地区城市化的增加，确定适合当地的技术来处理伴随而来的污染问题，因此需要根据诸如城市固体废物管理等当地实际问题进行调查。作为博士论文研究改进奖，该奖项还将提供支持，使有前途的学生建立一个强大的独立研究生涯。

This Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement project will analyze conflicts over municipal solid waste in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico. The research will contrast the spatial and representational tactics and strategies of two core groups and their allies, all of whom are engaged in political infighting over MSW management in the city. These two main groups are: (a) neighborhood activists, who are opposed to the current location and management of the dump; and (b) scavengers, who have squatted on the dump and make their living recycling items from it. These two groups employ different representations of garbage (as risk or resource); implement distinct spatial-organizational strategies; and forge competing networks with state and non-state (NGO), local and global, organizations. These networks enable the two core groups to affect management of the dumpsite and the direction of broader urban development policy. In order to assess these politics, the research addresses the following primary question: How are different perspectives on garbage - from risk to resource - mobilized through (a) the spatial strategies of the organizations (including how they operate in urban space, the spaces they appropriate during protests, and their coalition building), and (b) their representations of the garbage problem? A set of ancillary questions is: To what extent do views of garbage as a resource or risk vary for the rank-and-file members of the organizations? How does this variability affect organizational cohesion? And, to what extent is this cohesion mediated by intra-organizational differences along the lines of class, gender, and indigeneity (among Oaxaca's 16 different indigenous groups).More generally, this research will contribute to the understanding of MSW problems and solutions in the global south. While much attention has been paid to the "garbage crisis" in northern countries, especially the United States, less attention has been paid to the politics of garbage in the global south. Ironically, at the time that northern countries are dealing with the aftermath of decades of siting problems and costly and environmentally suspect MSW technologies, countries like Mexico are trying to import these very same knowledges and practices in an effort to "modernize". Within this very different cultural milieu, however, garbage is not simply "waste," but also "ore" - a resource mined as a part of household survival strategies. These distinct understandings and uses of garbage underlie a number of key conflicts over urban land and struggles over social reproduction in the global south. In short, in Oaxaca as in many other growing cities in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the politics of MSW are rooted in conflicts between neighborhood activists, eager to secure a healthy environment, and scavengers, who survive on the discards of the formal economy. Further, the ideals of sustainable development as proposed by local NGO leaders and national and international organizations are realized only in and through particular places such as Oaxaca. As urbanization increases throughout the global south, the identification of locally appropriate technologies to deal with concomitant pollutions concerns relies therefore, on inquiries grounded in the local realities of issues such as municipal solid waste management. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.