Development projects, particularly those related to mining and energy production, often result in profound environmental injustices including the displacement of local populations. These injustices can manifest in various forms—distributive, recognitional, and procedural—disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. In many cases, standardized programs designed to address Development-Induced Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR) are lacking or offer little relief while ecological modernization and technological fixes fail to achieve justice for affected communities. These are mainly driven by profit motives and economic growth imperatives of states and corporations. This talk will explore the resistance of the İkizköy peasants against mining-related injustices in Turkey, who have been fighting against the expansion of a local coal mine that threatens their homes, land and the surrounding forest. In focusing on İkizköy, I aim to illustrate how grassroots movements can challenge both environmental degradation and socio-economic displacement, emphasizing the need for more equitable and inclusive approaches.
About the Speaker
Baran Alp Uncu is a political sociologist who is currently one of the Remote Visiting Researchers with the Balsillie School and Department of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University. His main fields of interest are social movements, civil society, globalization, climate politics, political ecology, and urban studies. He holds an MA from McGill University and a PhD from the London School of Economics. He worked as a faculty member at Marmara University between 2007-2017. He continues his academic work as an independent researcher in collaboration with civil society organizations and research institutions. He is also the editor of IPA Istanbul Journal, an urban affairs journal by Istanbul Planning Agency.
