SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The Colombian government’s proposal for the Tribugá Port project puts in evidence the juxtaposition of dominant approaches to development and place-based well-being strategies of local communities. The extension of the national maritime infrastructure network follows mainstream development narratives centered around the spatial reorganization and expansion of capitalism to cater to the needs of industrial and commercial accumulation. Ethno-development plans and interviews indicate that local well-being initiatives rooted in local livelihoods, identity, culture, and environmental conservation form the basis for resisting the Tribugá Port project. Such well-being perspectives not only provide a different understanding of development but also are likely to lead to a different outcome because they foster inclusive and sustainable processes and a sense of solidarity, self-determination, and self-management of resources.