The Roots of Engagement

This book provides a novel perspective to the study of the conflicts that surround resource extraction. The authors offer a novel hypothesis to explain individual views that focuses attention on how participation in social organizations shapes preferences. As one of the first books to make extensive use of polling in the study of extractive conflicts, it contributes unique evidence. All scholars interested in the politics of natural resources should read this book. * Matthew Amengual, Associate Professor in International Business, University of Oxford *
Arce, Hendricks, and Polizzi have crafted an important contribution to our understanding of the dynamics of extractive conflicts. They bring much-needed attention to the lives of ordinary people who live near mining areas, exploring how people are affected and how they make up their minds about a project. Combining original surveys with fieldwork, this book is a great example of mixed-methods research. I am delighted to see this kind of work joining the conversation on extractive conflicts and can't wait to assign it in my classes. * Carew Boulding, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Colorado at Boulder *
The opposition of communities to extractive projects is now a familiar story. This fascinating book takes us inside those stories in a highly original way, focusing on individuals in the community and the micro politics of how their attitudes are formed, so that one accepts while another rejects the project. The claim that it is socially engaged citizens who are more likely to gain the knowledge and confidence to challenge a project that disrupts their communities is both theoretically elegant and empirically persuasive. * Kathryn Hochstetler, Professor of International Development, London School of Economics and Political Science *
The Roots of Engagement tackles seminal questions in the field of resource conflict. Offering a fresh take on the debate about who participates and why, the authors shift the unit of analysis to the individual level, where decisions about participation can be analyzed more precisely. This book should be read by everyone who wants to make sense of extractive sector struggles. * Rose J. Spalding, Professor of Political Science, DePaul University *