Naturaleza y territorio en el marco del extractivismo: resistencias territoriales y valoraciones sobre la naturaleza desde los pueblos indígenas en Argentina

Abstract

This article seeks to contribute to reflections on the relationship between society and nature, drawing on the experience of Indigenous peoples in Argentina who, for decades, have maintained significant territorial resistance to the expansion of extractive activities. To this end, the article analyzes two case studies: the communities grouped in the Union of Peoples of the Diaguita Nation (UPND) of Catamarca and the Xawvn Ko Zone of the Mapuche Confederation of Neuquén, and characterizes the extractive contexts in which they are situated. Based on fieldwork conducted over several years in various territories of Catamarca and Neuquén, as well as on the analysis of interviews, observations, and documentary and journalistic sources, this study examines how communities value and practice their relationship with nature, highlighting elements of their cosmovision and their practices for reproducing life. The study’s fundamental contribution is identifying and analyzing aspects of the horizon of meanings these communities construct around nature and natural resources within the context of their struggles for territory, and placing these aspects in dialogue with diverse critical theoretical perspectives on the subject.