Political Ideology and Globalization of Environmental Management
The goal of my research is to examine the power structures of environmental management through the lens of globalization while also incorporating case studies, including the Bhopal accident. Different political power structures can be categorized in a spectrum from local to global, with many of the elite groups in global power positions like transnational corporations or NGO’s, while many subordinate groups tend to be small-scale “developing” communities. This spectrum plays a pivotal role in the way environmental management is discussed and presented, revealing the differing values placed on the environment between different points on the spectrum. For instance, in many situations the local political structures will place emphasis on utilization of the environment on a sustainable level, making certain to not over-exploit the environment. When looking at global or transnational power structures, in many cases the means to the end is profit, while turning a blind eye to the needs of the local communities they are affecting. The negative effects associated with the globalization of the environment has caused anthropologists to think about other forms of modernization and development, including the anti-essentialist notion that each community experiences their environment differently, as it is shaped by social and cultural influences. The importance of local knowledge systems will also be discussed to further this conversation.