Social Movements in Gold Mining in Africa: A Community Guide to Strategic Action
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Authors
Addae-Boahene, Lydia
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Social Movement , Environmental Justice , Gold Mining , Africa
Alternative Title
Abstract
The resource extraction industry, especially gold mining in Africa, generates various negative social and environmental impacts, including biodiversity loss, deforestation, groundwater contamination and displacement of communities. These long-term and damaging impacts often cause discontent in the communities directly impacted by the activities of the mine and conflicts between the companies and the communities. In response, social movements have emerged in which communities either protest to stop mining or request to be part of the decision-making processes. Social movements have emerged with an important role as regulators and promoters of transformative sustainable development agendas. Social movements have great potential to strengthen, create and generate supportive policies for their communities. This thesis analyzes conflicts between mining companies and impacted communities in Africa and the various forms of community actions, social movements and activism used by communities and NGOs in response to these impacts. Considering the broader literature on such conflicts, this research then focuses on two case studies of these contemporary movements in Tanzania and Ghana. The thesis analyzes how communities close to the North Mara Gold mine in Tanzania and the Obuasi AngloGold Ashanti Gold mine use different community-led actions to protest mining activities in their communities. Using an extensive literature review and document analysis which allowed for an enhanced exploration and interpretation of the case studies, the most effective forms of protest adopted by these groups were identified. This was done with a specific interest in materials that intersected with the themes and the various forms of community actions: advocacy, public engagement, and collaborative process. With the lessons learned and the different advocacy frameworks analyzed, critical characteristics of a practical social movement framework will be recommended for community-based social movement groups. These key characteristics which include framing, motivation, public visibility, urgency emerging leaders and individual and collective actions can help guide social movement groups. This thesis provides a deep analysis of the relationship between environmental justice and social movements and reveals the importance of a practical social movement framework.
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Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States