Agua y libertad; un análisis de los conflictos socioambientales, el extractivismo y la privatización del agua en Colombia.

Abstract

Water and Freedom: An analysis of socio-environmental conflicts, extractivism and the privatization of water in Colombia, examines the complex and intertwined dynamics that affect access to and control of water in the country. The research addresses how extractivism and the privatization of water resources perpetuate socio-environmental conflicts, delving into the historical and structural relationship of colonization and neoliberal contemporaneity impacting local communities. The thesis argues that conflicts over land tenure and use, coupled with the intensive exploitation of natural resources, generate significant tensions and violations of the rights of communities and the environment. It is proposed that these dynamics are not only an administrative or political problem, but also reflect a structural problem of the predominant development model, which needs to be rethought from a perspective of critical thinking and active participation of communities. Finally, “Water and Freedom” highlights the importance of environmental education and communication that empower communities, allowing a critical understanding of their realities and encouraging democratic participation in the defense of the territory and water resources, and underlines the urgency of a change towards a sustainable development model that prioritizes the life and well-being of people and the environment.