Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of Living

The rapacious planetary extraction of energy and materials and associated socioecological violence have culminated in overlapping ecological, social, and political crises. With the advent of global initiatives that seek to address these crises and signs of post-pandemic recovery programmes deepening...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Erik Post
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement 2023-06-01
Series:Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/5376
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850172002522890240
author Erik Post
author_facet Erik Post
author_sort Erik Post
collection DOAJ
description The rapacious planetary extraction of energy and materials and associated socioecological violence have culminated in overlapping ecological, social, and political crises. With the advent of global initiatives that seek to address these crises and signs of post-pandemic recovery programmes deepening extraction, ‘extractivisms’ are at a critical juncture. Discussions over extractivisms, their relation to capitalism, and implications for creating alternative post-extractivist futures have proliferated in recent years. As a result, definitions have multiplied and expanded, which has led to ambiguity and prompted calls to better define and conceptualise extractivisms. This chapter contributes to this exercise in three ways: First, it details a genealogy of extractivisms that originates in Latin American scholarship, expands to ‘global extractivisms’, and culminates in conceptual expansions that progressively divorce the concept from the extraction of energy and materials. Second, it addresses how Marxian thought has theorised the relationship between capitalism and the biophysical world and analyses four recent interventions to clarify why extractivisms are pivotal to but cannot be equated with capitalism. Third, the chapter synthesises insights from these discussions to argue that extractivisms are best conceived of as particular ‘modes of extraction’ that provide the energetic and material basis for ‘imperial modes of living’. It concludes with reflections on how more sustainable and peaceful futures must be premised on transitions to ‘post-extractivisms’ and ‘post-imperial solidarity modes of living’.
format Article
id doaj-art-b8aff1d97b454c9e958313c6679098a5
institution OA Journals
issn 1663-9375
1663-9391
language English
publishDate 2023-06-01
publisher Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement
record_format Article
series Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
spelling doaj-art-b8aff1d97b454c9e958313c6679098a52025-08-20T02:20:10ZengInstitut de Hautes Études Internationales et du DéveloppementRevue Internationale de Politique de Développement1663-93751663-93912023-06-011610.4000/poldev.5376Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of LivingErik PostThe rapacious planetary extraction of energy and materials and associated socioecological violence have culminated in overlapping ecological, social, and political crises. With the advent of global initiatives that seek to address these crises and signs of post-pandemic recovery programmes deepening extraction, ‘extractivisms’ are at a critical juncture. Discussions over extractivisms, their relation to capitalism, and implications for creating alternative post-extractivist futures have proliferated in recent years. As a result, definitions have multiplied and expanded, which has led to ambiguity and prompted calls to better define and conceptualise extractivisms. This chapter contributes to this exercise in three ways: First, it details a genealogy of extractivisms that originates in Latin American scholarship, expands to ‘global extractivisms’, and culminates in conceptual expansions that progressively divorce the concept from the extraction of energy and materials. Second, it addresses how Marxian thought has theorised the relationship between capitalism and the biophysical world and analyses four recent interventions to clarify why extractivisms are pivotal to but cannot be equated with capitalism. Third, the chapter synthesises insights from these discussions to argue that extractivisms are best conceived of as particular ‘modes of extraction’ that provide the energetic and material basis for ‘imperial modes of living’. It concludes with reflections on how more sustainable and peaceful futures must be premised on transitions to ‘post-extractivisms’ and ‘post-imperial solidarity modes of living’.https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/5376political economyextractivismcapitalismimperialismpost-extractivismimperial mode of living
spellingShingle Erik Post
Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of Living
Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
political economy
extractivism
capitalism
imperialism
post-extractivism
imperial mode of living
title Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of Living
title_full Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of Living
title_fullStr Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of Living
title_full_unstemmed Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of Living
title_short Expanding Extractivisms: Extractivisms as Modes of Extraction Sustaining Imperial Modes of Living
title_sort expanding extractivisms extractivisms as modes of extraction sustaining imperial modes of living
topic political economy
extractivism
capitalism
imperialism
post-extractivism
imperial mode of living
url https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/5376
work_keys_str_mv AT erikpost expandingextractivismsextractivismsasmodesofextractionsustainingimperialmodesofliving