The Silences of Dispossession: Agrarian Change and Indigenous Politics in Argentina

This book explores omissions, or silences, in previous investigations of agrarian transformations by foregrounding indigenous experiences of capitalist development. It provides a rich and detailed ethnographic study of how capitalist processes are perceived, experienced, and either confronted or accepted depending on the different ways in which dispossession, resistance, and negotiation have become embedded in the collective local memory. Challenging accounts that efface the agency of subalterns in shaping rural dynamics, and ignoring the diversity of perspectives within indigenous groups, Biocca untangles the connections between global, national, and local spatial scales in her analysis of accumulation by dispossession.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 20 May 2023
Publisher: Pluto Press

This captivating book delves into the overlooked aspects of previous investigations into agrarian transformations by placing a strong emphasis on indigenous experiences of capitalist development. Through a comprehensive ethnographic study, Mercedes Biocca vividly portrays how capitalist processes are perceived, encountered, and either resisted or embraced, depending on the diverse ways in which dispossession, resistance, and negotiation have become deeply ingrained in the collective local memory.

By challenging accounts that diminish the agency of subalterns in shaping rural dynamics and disregarding the heterogeneity of perspectives within indigenous groups, Biocca skillfully unravels the intricate connections between global, national, and local spatial scales in her analysis of accumulation by dispossession.

Through the use of two compelling case studies, the Qom People in Pampa del Indio and the Moqoit people in Las Tolderías, she showcases the significant transformations that have occurred in the Argentine agricultural sector during the reign of post-neoliberalism, while placing a central focus on the perceptions and roles of subalterns within these transformations.

This thought-provoking book offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex dynamics and multifaceted outcomes of agrarian transformations, shedding light on the experiences and perspectives of marginalized communities and challenging prevailing narratives.

Weight: 194g
Dimension: 139 x 216 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780745343068