Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of nature

This paper offers a multifaceted examination of the core-periphery dynamics inherent in the utilization and conceptualization of nature within Aconcagua Provincial Park (APP). Drawing on ethnographic data and textual analysis, it scrutinizes the interplay between historical legacies, economic impera...

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Main Author: Henry Mooney
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2024.2447907
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author Henry Mooney
author_facet Henry Mooney
author_sort Henry Mooney
collection DOAJ
description This paper offers a multifaceted examination of the core-periphery dynamics inherent in the utilization and conceptualization of nature within Aconcagua Provincial Park (APP). Drawing on ethnographic data and textual analysis, it scrutinizes the interplay between historical legacies, economic imperatives, and ecological outcomes shaping mountaineering tourism within the park. The study reveals a complex web of power relations, economic exploitation, and ecological degradation perpetuating a commodified view of nature, consistent with other political ecological literature in montane environments. By analyzing the operational dynamics of APP and mountaineering tourism in and beyond southern Andean contexts, this work unveils how core state interests influence or dictate land use, resource management, and access to the park. Furthermore, it points toward the inadequacy of existing management frameworks in addressing systemic issues like ecologically deleterious behaviors. This research contributes to political ecology scholarship by illuminating co-constructed narratives on nature, politics, and societal structures in high mountain areas which can overlook the profound effects of power dynamics and economic interests on local ecology in managed park systems in periphery states.
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spelling doaj-art-25cf8d6282e248469b68e6ed6df6e1832025-01-22T08:22:10ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Social Sciences2331-18862025-12-0111110.1080/23311886.2024.2447907Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of natureHenry Mooney0Department of Research, National Coalition of Independent Scholars (NCIS), Bellingham, WA, USAThis paper offers a multifaceted examination of the core-periphery dynamics inherent in the utilization and conceptualization of nature within Aconcagua Provincial Park (APP). Drawing on ethnographic data and textual analysis, it scrutinizes the interplay between historical legacies, economic imperatives, and ecological outcomes shaping mountaineering tourism within the park. The study reveals a complex web of power relations, economic exploitation, and ecological degradation perpetuating a commodified view of nature, consistent with other political ecological literature in montane environments. By analyzing the operational dynamics of APP and mountaineering tourism in and beyond southern Andean contexts, this work unveils how core state interests influence or dictate land use, resource management, and access to the park. Furthermore, it points toward the inadequacy of existing management frameworks in addressing systemic issues like ecologically deleterious behaviors. This research contributes to political ecology scholarship by illuminating co-constructed narratives on nature, politics, and societal structures in high mountain areas which can overlook the profound effects of power dynamics and economic interests on local ecology in managed park systems in periphery states.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2024.2447907Core-periphery dynamicspolitical ecologymountaineering tourismpower relationsenvironmental degradationmanagement frameworks
spellingShingle Henry Mooney
Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of nature
Cogent Social Sciences
Core-periphery dynamics
political ecology
mountaineering tourism
power relations
environmental degradation
management frameworks
title Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of nature
title_full Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of nature
title_fullStr Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of nature
title_full_unstemmed Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of nature
title_short Power, tourism, and ecology: a critical inquiry into aconcagua’s power structures and conceptions of nature
title_sort power tourism and ecology a critical inquiry into aconcagua s power structures and conceptions of nature
topic Core-periphery dynamics
political ecology
mountaineering tourism
power relations
environmental degradation
management frameworks
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2024.2447907
work_keys_str_mv AT henrymooney powertourismandecologyacriticalinquiryintoaconcaguaspowerstructuresandconceptionsofnature