Technical and Political Stakes in Water Management and Control: The Case of the Minas Conga Project in Northern Peru

In Peru, the development of open-pit mining has given rise to numerous conflicts between mining companies and local populations regarding water access and management. One of the most representative cases is that of Minas Conga, which has suspended its activities since November 2011 due to intense local protests. While the State defends the viability of the project by relying on scientific expertise, the social movement opposing it insists on the political nature of the conflict referring to scientific arguments, local knowledge, and forms of local expertise. Based on the debate over the Conga project, we set out to ponder the complex interrelation between water techniques and politics, and the relationships that develop between knowledge and power.