Southern Green Victimology: A Look at the Cycle of Environmental Harms, Resistance and Over-criminalisation

Abstract

Building upon the working notion of Southern green victimology, the presentation explores the case of Andalgalá, Province of Catamarca, Argentina, where international corporations have been trying to develop a mining project that would affect the environment and the health of the local population. Facing the lack of support from the state, the organised local community tried to prevent their actual environmental victimisation and they committed to stop this damaging undertaking. Following these intents, the Argentinean criminal justice system acted to the detriment of these local actors (over-criminalisation) and favour mining corporations that can cause irreparable damage to the local water and air resources (under-criminalisation). In short, the case study will shed light on the common features of Southern green victimisation: (1) attempts to consolidate corporate investments involving extensive environmental harms in forms already banned in the Global North, (2) a committed resistance by the local environmental groups, (3) the harsh selectivity of the criminal justice system, and (4). immunity of corporate environmental harms/crimes.

Citation

Vegh Weis, V. (2024), "Southern Green Victimology: A Look at the Cycle of Environmental Harms, Resistance and Over-criminalisation", Dal Santo, L. and Sozzo, M. (Ed.) Punishment in Latin America: Explorations from the Margins (Perspectives on Crime, Law and Justice in the Global South), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 201-218. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83797-328-620241011