WEALTH & SPACE. Conflictive spatialities of wealth (re-)production in Latin America
Abstract
In research tackling the (re-)production of wealth and inequality, space and place have only received limited attention, habitually representing the uneven geographies of income distribution and wealth concentration in rather conventional geo-spatial approaches. Against this background, WEALTH & SPACE focuses on the multi-scalar spatial dimensions, mechanisms, conditions, strategies and effects of the (re-)production of wealth in Latin America. Thereby, the project aims at contributing to nuanced understandings of the conflictive spatialities of wealth (re)production. By doing so, the project pursues a specific focus on four different geographical and economic settings (Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador). In detail, WEALTH & SPACE focuses on (1) developing a nuanced understanding for the role that the history of space and place has for contemporary processes of (re-)producing wealth, (2) provide comparative insights into how exactly space and wealth are co-produced in Latin America, and (3) analysing the current modifications and trends of (re-)producing wealth in light of dramatic transformations taking place in the world economic system due to the shift towards the ‘green economy’ and a reinforcement of financialisation as a crucial mode of accumulation of wealth. The choice for Latin America, the world region with the highest wealth inequality, follows a rationale that understands the continent as a prime case and extraordinary epistemological and theoretical laboratory. Conceptually, the research project is based on the understanding that space is constitutive of all social relations including the reproduction of wealth. Particularly, it draws on the rich Latin American traditions of spatial theorisation on wealth genesis and (re-)production: from classical dependency theory, theories on peripheral urbanisation, the spatiality of peripheral capitalism and territorialisation, to recent work on (neo-)extractivism, green grabbing and the racialisation and feminisation of economic exploitation. The methodological approach is rooted in contemporary discussions on comparative research, targeting the construction of nuanced understandings of case studies. In the project we will apply a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative research methods analyzing social data, qualitative methods applying network analysis and interviews with different stakeholders, as well as geo-spatial methods such as participatory mapping and critical cartography.
Principal investigators
Participating external organisations
Financer
Volkswagen-Stiftung
Duration of project
Start date: 11/2022
End date: 04/2023
