Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Centering Labour Regime Analysis: The case of a small-scale gold mine as the stage of the competition between the state and illegal armed groups over Colombia’s mining resources

van Velzen, Kris LU (2024) MIDM19 20241
Department of Human Geography
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
This thesis combines labour regime analysis with Marx’s distinctive class of modern landed property in a case-study situated at the small-scale gold mine La Mina Vincente. It examines how the Colombian state's efforts to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) intersect with the presence of illegal armed groups, shaping the labour regime of La Mina Vincente. The study makes use of qualitative data gathered through observations and semi-structured interviews to examine articulations of labour, capital and state relations at the mining site. By conceptualizing the role of the state and illegal armed groups as modern landed property, the study brings forward the struggle over rent-extraction as the primary shaping factor of La Mina... (More)
This thesis combines labour regime analysis with Marx’s distinctive class of modern landed property in a case-study situated at the small-scale gold mine La Mina Vincente. It examines how the Colombian state's efforts to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) intersect with the presence of illegal armed groups, shaping the labour regime of La Mina Vincente. The study makes use of qualitative data gathered through observations and semi-structured interviews to examine articulations of labour, capital and state relations at the mining site. By conceptualizing the role of the state and illegal armed groups as modern landed property, the study brings forward the struggle over rent-extraction as the primary shaping factor of La Mina Vincente’s labour regime. Formalisation through this lens becomes an aspect of the struggle of the state with armed groups over rent-extraction. This new way of deploying labour regime analysis aims to 1. contribute to the labour regime research agenda for ASM; 2. gain a more thorough understanding of how labour exploitation is shaped at different moments and scales around the labour process; and 3. expand on the explanations of why formalisation in itself cannot address the complicated challenges the ASMlabour force faces. (Less)
Abstract (Spanish)
Esta tesis combina el análisis del régimen laboral con la clase distintiva de Marx de la propiedad terrateniente moderna en un estudio de caso situado en la mina de oro de pequeña escala La Mina Vincente. Examina cómo los esfuerzos del Estado Colombiano para formalizar la minería artesanal y de pequeña escala (MAPE) se cruzan con la presencia de grupos armados ilegales, dando forma al régimen laboral de La Mina Vincente. El estudio hace uso de datos cualitativos recogidos mediante observaciones y entrevistas semiestructuradas para examinar las articulaciones de las relaciones entre trabajo, capital y Estado en el emplazamiento minero. Al conceptualizar el papel del Estado y de los grupos armados ilegales como modernos terratenientes, el... (More)
Esta tesis combina el análisis del régimen laboral con la clase distintiva de Marx de la propiedad terrateniente moderna en un estudio de caso situado en la mina de oro de pequeña escala La Mina Vincente. Examina cómo los esfuerzos del Estado Colombiano para formalizar la minería artesanal y de pequeña escala (MAPE) se cruzan con la presencia de grupos armados ilegales, dando forma al régimen laboral de La Mina Vincente. El estudio hace uso de datos cualitativos recogidos mediante observaciones y entrevistas semiestructuradas para examinar las articulaciones de las relaciones entre trabajo, capital y Estado en el emplazamiento minero. Al conceptualizar el papel del Estado y de los grupos armados ilegales como modernos terratenientes, el estudio pone de relieve la lucha por la extracción de rentas como principal factor determinante de la regimen laboral de La Mina Vincente. La formalización desde este punto de vista se convierte en un aspecto de la lucha del Estado con los grupos armados por la extracción de rentas. Esta nueva forma de desplegar el análisis del régimen laboral pretende 1. contribuir a la agenda de investigación sobre el régimen laboral de la MAPE; 2. comprender mejor cómo se configura la explotación laboral en diferentes momentos y escalas del proceso laboral; y 3. ampliar las explicaciones de por qué la formalización en sí misma no puede abordar los complicados retos a los que se enfrenta la mano de obra de la MAPE. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
van Velzen, Kris LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM19 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Artisanal and small-scale mining, Gold mining, ASM, Colombia, Formalisation, Labour Regimes, Modern Landed Property, Illegal Armed Groups
language
English
id
9170762
date added to LUP
2024-08-01 10:13:00
date last changed
2024-08-01 10:13:00
@misc{9170762,
  abstract     = {{This thesis combines labour regime analysis with Marx’s distinctive class of modern landed property in a case-study situated at the small-scale gold mine La Mina Vincente. It examines how the Colombian state's efforts to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) intersect with the presence of illegal armed groups, shaping the labour regime of La Mina Vincente. The study makes use of qualitative data gathered through observations and semi-structured interviews to examine articulations of labour, capital and state relations at the mining site. By conceptualizing the role of the state and illegal armed groups as modern landed property, the study brings forward the struggle over rent-extraction as the primary shaping factor of La Mina Vincente’s labour regime. Formalisation through this lens becomes an aspect of the struggle of the state with armed groups over rent-extraction. This new way of deploying labour regime analysis aims to 1. contribute to the labour regime research agenda for ASM; 2. gain a more thorough understanding of how labour exploitation is shaped at different moments and scales around the labour process; and 3. expand on the explanations of why formalisation in itself cannot address the complicated challenges the ASMlabour force faces.}},
  author       = {{van Velzen, Kris}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Centering Labour Regime Analysis: The case of a small-scale gold mine as the stage of the competition between the state and illegal armed groups over Colombia’s mining resources}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}