Human Rights Trade-Offs in Times of Economic Growth: The Long-Term Capability Impacts of Extractive-Led Development (Latin American Political Economy)

This book uncovers a historical dependency on smelting activities that has trapped inhabitants of La Oroya, Peru, in a context of systemic lack of freedom. La Oroya has been named one of the most polluted places on the planet by the US Blacksmith Institute. Residents face the dilemma of whether to defend their health or to preserve job stability at the local smelter, the main source of toxic pollution in town. Valencia unpacks this paradoxical human rights trade-off. This context, shaped by social, historical, political, and economic factors, increases people’s vulnerabilities and decreases their ability to choose, resulting in residents' trading off their right to health in order to work. This book shows the deep connection of this local dilemma to the country’s national paradox, arising out of Peru's vision of natural resource extraction as the main path to secure economic growth for the entire country at the expense of some groups. "Dedication "--"Foreword"--"Acknowledgments" -- "Contents" -- "Abbreviations" -- "List of Figures" -- "chapter 1: Introduction: Human Rights Trade-offs in Times of Economic Growth: A Tale from Peru" -- "Background" -- "The Puzzle" -- "The Conceptual Framework" -- "The Argument" -- "Beyond the â#x80;#x9C;Localâ#x80;#x9D; Trade-off" -- "The Multidisciplinary Nature of the Study" -- "Book Outline" -- "Notes" -- "chapter 2: The La Oroya Conflict: The Intractable Conflict Between Health and Work" -- "The Smelterâ#x80;#x99;s Privatization: The Doe Run Chapter" -- "The Evidence: Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic Contamination" -- "The Defense of Health" -- "The Defence of Work" -- "The Legal Architecture: Fighting for Justice -- Perpetuating Injustice" -- "Conclusions" -- "Notes" -- "chapter 3: A Systemic Human Rights Model of Analysis: An Integrated Approach" -- "Introduction" -- "Structural Approaches to Human Rights" -- "Historical-Constructionist Notion of Human Rights" -- "Structuring Human Rights Abuses and Uneven Distribution of Harm and Benefits" -- "The International Legal Framework of Human Rights" -- "Analysis and Strategies to Unveil Root Causes" -- "Why the Capability Approach: Justifying the Conceptual Integration" -- "What Is the Capability Approach? Antecedents and Main Tenets" -- "Selecting Valuable Capabilities: Which Capabilities and Who Decides?" -- "Human Capabilities and Human Rights: Advancing the Interdisciplinary Dialogue" -- "The Human Rights Systemic Analytical Model: Methodological Principles" -- "Self-Reflexivity" -- "Fostering Historical and Political Awareness" -- "Voicing People" -- "Engaging in the Scrutiny of Individuals and Their Social Embeddedness" -- "The Human Rights Systemic Analytical Model: Steps and Purposes" -- "Conclusions" -- "Notes" Front Matter....Pages i-xix Introduction: Human Rights Trade-offs in Times of Economic Growth: A Tale from Peru....Pages 1-20 The La Oroya Conflict: The Intractable Conflict Between Health and Work....Pages 21-47 A Systemic Human Rights Model of Analysis: An Integrated Approach....Pages 49-98 Systemic Lack of Freedom in La Oroya: The Socio-historical Roots and the Political-Economic Background....Pages 99-134 Experiencing Systemic Lack of Freedom: The Voice of La Oroya....Pages 135-174 Examining the Trade-offs Between Health and Work in La Oroya: The Long-Term Capability Impacts of Extractive-Led Development....Pages 175-215 Conclusion: La Oroya at the Crossroads....Pages 217-232 Back Matter....Pages 233-281