The LAR Project, supported by NWO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NL) and
the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance (Utrecht University),organizes on Thursday 7 June 2012 an International Conference on:

Lands and Rights in Troubled Waters Land-use Change, Socio-Environmental Harm and Human Rights Violations in Colombia and Brazil.

The LAR project focuses on the conditions, nature and effects of land-use change in the Cauca (Colombia) and Tapajós (Brazil) basins, a process closely connected with the explosive expansion of respectively sugar cane and soy monocultures, growing deforestation, the increased commercial large-scale exploitation of mineral resources in both areas, and the development of mega-projects using water resources such as hydroelectric power plants. Both cases present different forms of conflict, social and environmental harm and human rights violations. The project adopts innovative methodologies and critical perspectives from green criminology and a rights-based approach, but it tackles the cases from a truly multidisciplinary perspective including research and development activities by legal scholars, biologists, anthropologists, geographers and social workers and activists. The project ‘Lands and Rights’ seeks to promote a rights-based approach to development, strengthening organizations and communities in their claim for rights and environmental justice. It aims to learn from the conflicts and to reduce them, to contribute to the rule of law and to improve public policies regarding extractive industries, land rights and water management. The human rights and (green) criminological perspectives are combined with challenging research methodologies such as ethnography, social cartography and action research.

Datum:
Donderdag 7 juni
Locatie:
Universiteit Utrecht
Academiegebouw (Aula)
Domplein 29, 3512 JE Utrecht

Aanmelden is gratis. Graag voor 24 mei naar Judith van Zanten: wpi-congres@uu.nl
Voor meer informatie: www.landsandrights.blog.com