Examining fracking from the perspective of political ecology

Résumé ou Introduction

Throughout the modern era, particularly with the development of new and innovative technologies, conflict has existed between the environment and those who inhabit it. With the advent of highly industrialised technology during the 20th century conflict has been on a steady increase as there are often dialectical processes involved between those creating technological innovations and those who become unwittingly involved in them. One environmental conflict called hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’ as it is commonly referred to, is a profitable industrial practice whereby natural gas is extracted from rock layers in the ground. Fracking is an environmental conflict arising from economic and political marginalisation based primarily on class divisions. This will be demonstrated first through describing fracking and how it is an environmental conflict, by explaining how fracking fits into a political and economic framework, and by finally outlining the cultural component, that is how marginalised socio-economic and ethnic groups are affected by the practice of fracking. Political ecology theory will be applied in order to gain an understanding of the complexities of fracking as this theory focuses on the mutual development of both political and ecological change. It is acknowledged that whilst applying a political ecology perspective is an effective anthropological method, it is also necessary to apply other anthropological theories in order to gain a more holistic analysis.