Books
Limits to Decolonization: Indigeneity, Territory and Hydrocarbon Politics in the Bolivian Chaco
My first solo-authored book is an ethnographic account of the Guaraní's two-decade-long struggle for land and territory in the Bolivian Chaco, amidst a gas boom and during a period of national political change under the Movement Towards Socialism government. Despite aspirations to the contrary, years of indigenous territorial mapping and land-titling have not resulted in autonomy and self-determination. My book raises questions about the role of recognition politics in redressing colonial land relations or capitalist processes of dispossession, and highlights the ongoing modes of creative and persistent resistance among Indigenous Peoples.
You can purchase the book directly from the publisher, Cornell University Press, or online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or if you're in the U.S., you can also borrow it from a public library near you.
The book was translated into Spanish in 2022 and is available as an open access PDF. Download the 5 MB file here.
My thanks to the translator, H. Calla Ortega, and the publisher, Plural Editores in La Paz for making this accessible. Learn about the public events in Bolivia that accompanied the release of the Spanish version of the book on the Facebook page for Límites a la descolonización. .
Neoextractivism and Territorial Disputes in Latin America: Social-ecological Conflict and Resistance on the Front Lines
In this collected work, co-edited by Pabel C. López Flores and me, a variety of authors explore the expansion of extractive industries into new territories and the powerful resistance movements emerging in response. Each chapter dives into different contexts across the region, revealing how communities are standing up to protect their lands, reclaim their rights, and push back against ecological and social injustices. This book isn’t just about documenting struggles – it's about envisioning a different kind of future, one where sustainable alternatives and post-extractive possibilities are realized.
You can purchase the book directly from the publisher, Routledge, or online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or if you're in the U.S., you can also borrow it from a public library near you.