Culturally articulated neoliberalisation: corporate social responsibility and the capture of indigenous legitimacy in New Caledonia

Abstract

This paper expands our understandings of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a form of roll-out neoliberalism, building on analyses of CSR initiatives as elements of a capitalist system actively working to create its own social regularisationto secure a socio-politico-economic context supporting capitalist development. Using an ethnographic analysis of the rise and fall of an indigenous protest group that targeted a multinational mining project in New Caledonia, this paper has two theoretical aims. First, it builds on literature that analyses neoliberalism as 'articulating' with particular politico-economic conditions in order to argue that such articulation is also, necessarily, cultural. I describe how the mining company undercut and ultimately co-opted local resistance, largely by successfully capturing culturally-based ideologies of customary and indigenous legitimacy. Thus, neoliberalisation's articulations may involve attempts to capture not only formal but also informal regulation or regulators, through direct personal benefits and also indirectly through the capture of culturally valued ideologies. These ideologies, in turn, are caught up in culturally grounded hegemonic processes. This leads to the paper's second theoretical aim, which is to explore what happens when different forms of hegemony, based in distinct cultural formations, encounter each other as well as counter-hegemonic forces. In engaging directly with customary authorities rather than exclusively with activists, the company re-legitimised itself by delegitimising its activist opponents, repositioning them as subordinates within their own culturally informed social hierarchy, and reinstating customary authorities' privileged hegemonic status. Thus, multiple, culturally distinct hegemonic processes may co-exist and interact; here, they reinforced each other by suppressing counter-hegemonic activities. However, some customary authorities still sympathised with the protestors' aims and perceived potential threats from the company's expanding economic power. I end by suggesting that counter-hegemonic possibilities reside in the perpetual dynamism of cultures.

Unpacking Resilience for Adaptation: Incorporating Practitioners’ Experiences through a Transdisciplinary Approach to the Case of Drought in Chile

“…In line with this, some authors further argue that voluntary provision of information is necessary to reduce information asymmetries [82]. However, the concept of CSR has been questioned and doubts were raised about whether it truly offers a solution to social concerns [79,81].…”

“…This is not unusual considering that it is generally in relation to these two issues that conflict arises because of the information asymmetries between companies and other actors and the environmental impacts caused by company activities, which are of increasing concern [79]. For this reason, companies have coined the concept Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for voluntary actions taken to adopt more socially conscious behavior and decrease the level of conflict with communities [80,81]. In line with this, some authors further argue that voluntary provision of information is necessary to reduce information asymmetries [82].…”

Cap Bocage: Tracing the militant voice of environmental protest in New Caledonia

“…I also hoped that the film would help audiences understand some of the benefits and dangers of occupying the firm environmental high ground if it ran at odds with the neoliberal agendas of mining companies. The recent history of indigenous environmental groups being captured and co-opted (Horowitz, 2014) by mining companies and impact and benefit agreements (IBAs) was also reason to present a more militant view of the debate. When the voices of protest are captured and co-opted, what is most often obscured is a clear truth: mining can never be a sustainable industry.…”

“…In further research work I hope to cover some of these issues, but the process of seeking and receiving approval to mine is also evolving. Research developed by Horowitz (2014) examines the way power structures shift once indigenous peoples begin to engage with the IBAs mining companies are now obliged to present to them. She sees this as part of a new neoliberal way of engaging with populations, one that can co-opt, capture and delegitimise voices of protest.…”

“…Florent's position remains firmly against any mining development and, in the eyes of many, he is perceived as inflexible. But understanding his position can also help us locate the increasingly subtle neoliberal strategies mining companies use as they capture and co-opt support (Horowitz, 2014) and reframe future activities that may have uncertain and unresolvable environmental consequences.…”