‘Bolsonarismo’ and other tactics of contemporary capitalism in a world in flames: The case of Indigenous enrolment in soybean mechanized monoculture in central Brazil

Critical Ecologies

In this episode, MA student Rodrigo Silva delves into the history and contemporary dynamics of the Haliti-Paresi Indigenous group in Mato Grosso, Brazil, amidst continuous capitalist incursions into the region. The historical analysis observes the material exploitation and discursive practices being employed by colonial powers since the eighteenth century towards these peoples. It culminates with the current enrolment of Indigenous leaders in projects of agribusiness, the still dominant elites of the country. The (still tentative) analysis seeks to understand the complications offered by this current scenario, with its juridical as well as cosmopolitical implications, to our current understanding of the climate crisis, through a historical materialist standpoint. The podcast interview touches on some important points to reflect about this topic in relation to the advancements of capitalism as well its contemporary political developments, with devastating impacts to ecologies and livelihoods.