Conflictos por el agua en Chile: el gran capital contra las comunidades locales. Análisis comparativo de las cuencas de los ríos Huasco (desierto de Atacama) y Baker (patagonia austral).

Exploring the concept of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and using participatory social research methodologies, this paper seeks to expose and understand conflicts between water users from two river basins in Chile, that, despite their location in completely different areas (one a desert, the other an extreme south-austral zone), have similarities in socio-environmental conflict, since in both cases the existence of mega-projects (one, a mine, the other, a hydroelectric plant) has generated diverse visions of development between the directly affected local communities and the transnational corporations. The paper reflects on these similarities and the socio-environmental struggles they are experiencing, concluding that IWRM is the way to raise awareness and seek solutions to environmental conflicts in the current era of "neoliberal ecocide". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]