Dissertation Research: The Effects of Water Scarcity on Reciprocity and Sociability in Bolivia

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Reports on the state of freshwater reserves warn that severe local shortagesare imminent, and predict that violent conflicts will emerge in water-scarceregions around the world. Water scarcity has been shown to cause civilconflict, particularly when accompanied by high population density, poverty,and income inequality. Urban migrant communities, where ethnic, religious,and class differences can exacerbate tensions, and community-wide patternsof adaptation to environmental scarcities are not well-formed, may beparticularly vulnerable to water conflicts. To better understand howconflicts develop in water-scarce regions, a PhD student of culturalanthropology will sample 60 households in Villa Israel, a barrio ofCochabamba, Bolivia, where conflict over water is an established part oflife. Every winter, seasonal water shortages threaten the lives of thepeople of Villa Israel, forcing them to make choices in how they use theireconomic and social resources. Using a combination of formal and informalinterviews, participant observation, and archival research, the student willdetermine if and how cooperative economic and social ties break down duringthe dry season, facilitating the emergence of conflicts. Broader implications: In addition to contributing to the education of adoctoral student and a Bolivian undergraduate, the study has practicalapplications for those seeking to anticipate and manage coming conflictsover scarce freshwater. By determining when and how social ties becomevulnerable during periods of severe water scarcity, the research will pointpolicymakers and development planners to possible avenues for conflictprevention in marginal urban communities.