Chapter 5 - Anthropology: Colonialism, Indigeneity, and Wind Power in the Anthropocene

Summary

This chapter engages with the complexities of Anthropocene politics and ecologies in Mexico’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Home to the densest concentration of wind turbines anywhere on earth, the Isthmus is a key site for climate change mitigation, but not without controversy. Working from the viewpoint of cultural anthropology, we show how local Indigenous and mestizo communities are contending with the massive transformation of their lands and livelihoods. We ask a central question for Anthropocenic times: what are the political forces that shape the possibilities for low carbon futures? Who sets the agenda for transitions and who—human and otherwise—is affected by enormous infrastructural shifts in energy systems? In this chapter, we show how various forces—political, economic and cultural—operate along with the wind itself to shape local futures in both positive and negative ways. We pay special attention to Indigenous philosophies and experiences because they help us see better possibilities at the nexus of energy, environment and human thriving.