Geopolitics of natural ressources

Teacher(s)

Hinojosa Valencia Leonith (compensates Legrand Vincent); Legrand Vincent;

Language

French

Main themes

This part of the course aims to examine the role that social, economic, political and cultural factors play in the geopolitics of natural resources and development and is organized in two sections. Drawing on concepts from Political Ecology, Ecological Economics and Development Studies, the first section provides the foundations to understand the main topics that explain the geopolitics of natural resources and its implications for sustainable development. The interplay of these topics is illustrated by a review of socio-environmental conflicts observed in and development strategies pursued by low and medium-income countries. The second section analyses the developmental possibilities, risks and threats arising out of the current distribution and management of natural resources, notably land and water, in relation to food security and sustainable agriculture. This section discusses the policy and institutional options that countries from the Global South can pursue in order to influence the global governance of natural resources.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	After completing this part of the course students will: Be knowledgeable of the main concepts of Political Ecology, Ecological Economics and Development Studies that underpin the geopolitics of natural resources. Be able to critically discuss the relationship between the access, distribution and control of natural resources and development outcomes from an inter-disciplinary perspective. Be able to analyse natural resources policy with focus on land and water. In addition to developing analytical skills, students are expected to strengthen their capacity for team work, essay-writing and oral presentation by integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines and approaches to development.

Bibliography

Lectures et matériel audiovisuel obligatoires (partie de cours LEONITH HINOJOSA) :
Lasserre, F., Gonon, E., & Mottet, É. (2016). Manuel de géopolitique : Enjeux de pouvoir sur des territoires (voir en particulier le chap. 2, « Concepts fondamentaux de l'analyse géopolitique », p. 23-42 et 60-63). Armand Colin. https://doi.org/10.3917/arco.motte.2016.01.0023
Scholten, D. (2023). Introduction: The geopolitics of the energy transition. In D. Scholten (Ed.), Handbook on the geopolitics of the energy transition (chap. 1). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800370432.00005
Franks, D., et al. (2025). How the rush for critical minerals is neglecting human needs. Nature, 647, 33–36. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03574-8
Xu, D., Dou, S., Zhu, Y., et al. (2024). Resource nationalism: The intersection of politics and economics. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, article 1423. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03949-8
Seeberg, P. (2024). Israeli hydro-hegemony and the Gaza War. Middle East Policy, 31, 33–46. https://doi.org/10.1111/mepo.12740
Dumortier, J., Elobeid, A., & Carriquiry, M. (2025). Impacts of geopolitics and policy on Latin American biodiversity and water resources. Agribusiness, 41, 1039–1050. https://doi.org/10.1002/agr.21965
Badeeb, R. A., Lean, H., & Clark, J. (2017). The evolution of the natural resource curse thesis: A critical literature survey. Resources Policy, 51, 123–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2016.10.015
Environmental Justice Organisations, Liabilities and Trade [EJOLT]. (s. d.). Atlas of environmental justice. http://www.ejolt.org/maps/
Figuière, C., & Metereau, R. (2021). Écodéveloppement et socio-économie écologique : congruences et complémentarités. Cahiers d'économie politique, 79, 153–190. https://doi.org/10.3917/cep1.079.0153
Hinojosa, L., Martí i Puig, & Tricot, V. (2025). Social movements and extractivist mining in Latin America and the Caribbean: Reshaping pathways of development? In F. R. Rodríguez (Ed.), The Elgar companion to the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean (pp. 220–237). Edward Elgar. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035317202.00014
Pahl-Wostl, C. (2019). Governance of the water-energy-food security nexus: A multi-level coordination challenge. Environmental Science & Policy, 92, 356–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2017.07.017
Bibliographie additionnelle suggérée pour le travail de groupe
Alternatives économiques. (2022). [Titre du dossier à préciser]. Alternatives Économiques, 426, 27–32.
Bebbington, A., Hinojosa, L., Bebbington, D., Burneo, M. L., & Warnaars, X. (2008). Contention and ambiguity: Mining and the possibilities of development. Development and Change, 39(6), 965–992. (Texte également disponible en français sur Moodle.)
Blanchon, D. (2019). Géopolitique de l'eau : Entre conflits et coopérations. Le Cavalier Bleu. https://doi.org/10.3917/lcb.blanc.2019.01
Bricas, N., Conaré, D., & Walser, M. (dir.). (2021). Une écologie de l'alimentation. Éditions Quæ. https://doi.org/10.35690/978-2-7592-3353-3
Costanza, R., Norgaard, R., Daly, H., Goodland, R., & Cumberland, J. (2007). An introduction to ecological economics. Encyclopedia of Earth. http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150045
Lasserre, F., Gonon, E., & Mottet, É. (2016). Manuel de géopolitique : Enjeux de pouvoir sur des territoires. Armand Colin. https://www.cairn.info/manuel-de-geopolitique--9782200628086.htm
UNEP. (2015). Addressing the role of natural resources in conflict and peacebuilding: A summary of progress from UNEP's Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding Programme. https://www.unep.org/resources/report/addressing-role-natural-resources-conflict-and-peacebuilding-summary-progress
OCDE/FAO. (2024). Perspectives agricoles de l'OCDE et de la FAO 2024-2033. Éditions OCDE. https://doi.org/10.1787/96f19970-fr
Autres ressources
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Agnew, J. (2003). The three ages of geopolitics. In Geopolitics: Re-visioning world politics (2e éd., pp. 85–114). Routledge.
Akhmouch, A., & Correia, F. N. (2016). The 12 OECD principles on water governance – When science meets policy. Utilities Policy, 43, 14–20.
Allouche, J. (2011). The sustainability and resilience of global water and food systems: Political analysis of the interplay between security, resource scarcity, political systems and global trade. Food Policy, 36(Suppl. 1), S3–S8.
Ayphassorho, H., et al. (2020). Changement climatique, eau, agriculture. Quelles trajectoires d'ici 2050 ? Ministère de la Transition écologique & Ministère de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation. https://cgedd.documentation.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/documents/Affaires-0011497/012819-01_rapport-publie.pdf
Barrett, C. B., & Palm, C. A. (2016). Meeting the global food security challenge: Obstacles and opportunities ahead. Global Food Security, 11, 1–4.
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FAO, FIDA, OMS, PAM, & UNICEF. (2017). L'état de la sécurité alimentaire et de la nutrition dans le monde 2017 : Renforcer la résilience pour favoriser la paix et la sécurité alimentaire. FAO.
Gomez, E. T., & Sawyer, S. (2012). State, capital, multinational institutions, and indigenous peoples. In S. Sawyer & E. T. Gomez (Eds.), The politics of resource extraction: Indigenous peoples, multinational corporations, and the state (pp. 33–45). Palgrave Macmillan / UNRISD.
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Haslam, P. A., & Tanimoune, N. A. (2016). The determinants of social conflict in the Latin American mining sector: New evidence with quantitative data. World Development, 78, 401–419.
Hinojosa, L. (2013). Change in rural livelihoods in the Andes: Do extractive industries make any difference? [Numéro spécial]. Community Development Journal, 48(3), 1–16.
Hinrichs, C. C. (2013). Regionalizing food security? Imperatives, intersections and contestations in a post-9/11 world. Journal of Rural Studies, 29, 7–18.
International Council on Mining and Metals, UNCTAD, & Banque mondiale. (2006). Resource endowment initiative: The analytical framework. ICMM.
International Council on Mining and Metals. (2010-2013). Good practice guide: Indigenous peoples and mining. ICMM.
Latorre, S., Farrell, K., & Martinez-Alier, J. (2015). The commodification of nature and socio-environmental resistance in Ecuador: An inventory of accumulation by dispossession cases, 1980–2013. Ecological Economics, 116, 58–69.
Le Billon, P. (2004). The geopolitical economy of “resource wars.” Geopolitics, 9(1), 1–28.
Martinez-Alier, J. (2002). The environmentalism of the poor [Communication]. The Political Economy of Sustainable Development: Environmental Conflict, Participation and Movements, UNRISD, Genève, Suisse. https://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/(httpAuxPages)/5EB03FFBDD19EA90C1257664004831BD/$file/MartinezAlier.pdf
Martinez-Alier, J., Kallis, G., Veuthey, S., Walter, M., & Temper, L. (2010). Social metabolism, ecological distribution conflicts, and valuation languages. Ecological Economics, 70(2), 153–158.
Mudd, G. M. (2007). Global trends in gold mining: Towards quantifying environmental and resource sustainability? Resources Policy, 32, 42–56.
NAP Global Network. (2019). Multimedia country NAP process posters. http://www.napglobalnetwork.org/resource/multimedia-country-nap-process-posters/
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Ostrom, E. (2010). Polycentric systems for coping with collective action and global environmental change. Global Environmental Change, 20(4), 550–557.
Özkaynak, B., Rodríguez-Labajos, B., Aydın, C., Yánez, I., & Garibay, C. (2015). Towards environmental justice success in mining conflicts: An empirical investigation (EJOLT Report n° 14).
Ramankutty, N., & Rhemtulla, J. (2013). Land sparing or land sharing: Context dependent. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 11(4), 178.
Sachs, J. D., & Warner, A. M. (2001). Natural resources and economic development: The curse of natural resources. European Economic Review, 45(4-6), 827–838.
Schlosberg, D. (2007). Defining environmental justice. In Defining environmental justice: Theories, movements, and nature (chap. 1). Oxford University Press.
UNFCCC. (2015). Accord de Paris. https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/french_paris_agreement.pdf
van der Ploeg, F. (2011). Natural resources: Curse or blessing? Journal of Economic Literature, 49(2), 366–420.
Vos, J., & Hinojosa, L. (2016). Virtual water trade and the contestation of hydro-social territories. Water International, 41(1), 37–53.

Teaching materials

• Portefeuilles de lectures, liens vers ressources électroniques et vidéos et présentations PowerPoint des enseignant.e.s mis à disposition des étudiant.e.s sur Moodle.

Faculty or entity

> PSAD