We invite contributions that speak to one or more of the following topics and that help re-
frame extractivism(s) from the point of view of the communities affected by it.

1.⁠ ⁠WEALTH – Friday 24th October 2025, 2pm BST – 3 pm CEST (90 minutes)
At the core of extractivism lies the concept of ‘wealth’. Transnational corporations are driven
by the wealth they can generate through the extraction of natural resources – a drive rooted
in the logic of neoliberal economics and the hegemonic force of global capitalism (Tsing,
2009). However, little attention has been given to how wealth is conceptualised and defined
by the communities most affected by extractivist activities. Nor has there been sufficient
exploration of how differing understandings of wealth are negotiated among local
communities, transnational corporations, and nation-states.
This call aims to investigate the multiple and often conflicting definitions of wealth that arise
at the intersection of local and global relations shaped by extractivist practices. It seeks to
examine how notions of inclusive wealth and development are understood, contested, and
redefined (Bird, 2016). We aim to deepen the concept of wealth – commonly portrayed in
public discourse as universally desirable – by reflecting on the culturally specific and context-
dependent meanings it carries, especially in regions affected by extractivism. Through these
reflections, we seek to understand how wealth is represented differently across the world,
based on diverse values, everyday experiences, social interactions, and lived realities.
Furthermore, this inquiry will explore the social, economic, and political dynamics that wealth
generates, such as aspiration, competition, envy, or exclusion. In doing so, we hope to open
up a more nuanced conversation about what wealth means, for whom, and at what cost.

2.⁠ ⁠RESOURCE – Friday 7th November, 2pm BST – 3 pm CEST (90 minutes)
In a world increasingly driven by the pursuit of new and alternative sources of livelihood,
economic growth, energy production, technological innovation, scientific progress, territorial
expansion, and capital accumulation, the term “resource” is invoked with growing frequency,
yet its meaning often goes unexamined. The concept of resource is closely linked to
extractivism, which has been interpreted by critical social sciences as an important
organising concept that also allows us to think about what we specifically want to extract and
what role extracted resources play in the panorama of geopolitical strategies and
environmental concerns (D’Angelo & Pijpers 2022). As with the concept of extractivism, we
believe it is important to think more about how the notion of resource is subjected to different
interpretations across the world, and how it can be reconceptualised based on pluralistic and
bottom-up interpretations of this term. Studies to date have developed attempts to address
the resource curse under study primarily in relation to revenue management, technical
solutions to political problems and in relation to power relations (Gilberthorpe & Rajak 2016).
Furthermore, the concepts of extractivism and resource in their nexus have also been
associated with analysing the effects that extractive practises and certain types of resources have on shaping social relations, economic interests and power struggles in the political
economy.
With this call, we aim to take a step back to explore what constitutes a ‘resource’, how
such definitions are constructed, and by whom. Through anthropological inquiry, we
seek to disentangle the term from its conventional association with capitalist logics of
accumulation and commodification. Instead, we aim to understand how different
communities define and relate to resources, and what collective, structural, or individual
values underlie these definitions.

3.⁠ ⁠RE-PURPOSING – Friday 28 th November, 2pm BST – 3 pm CEST (90 minutes)
In a world increasingly affected by the reckless exploitation of natural resources, both human
and planetary health are at growing risk, an urgency made ever more visible by the tangible
effects of climate change. In response, the mining industry has recently intensified
technological experimentation aimed at minimising environmental and social disruption, such
as the development of synthetic stones and fully automated mining technologies (Calvão et
al., 2021). The push for more responsible mining practices has even extended into domains
not traditionally associated with mining, such as the extraction of materials and energy from
waste (Buu-Sao & Patinaux, 2024). Though still in their technological infancy, these
emerging methods draw attention to the extraction potential found in discarded objects and
materials. Practices such as upcycling, recycling, reclaiming, and reusing have become
increasingly common beyond the extractive sector. They reflect a growing public awareness
that the resources we take from the environment possess a longer life than once imagined –
and that they can be transformed into new forms to help reduce our ecological footprint.
With this topic, we aim to engage anthropological inquiry to explore repurposing practices,
with particular attention to the creative, imaginative, and practical processes through which
existing objects and materials are converted into new resources. By investigating how
people repurpose the material world around them, we hope to understand not only what is
transformed and how these transformations take place, but also why people embark
in re-purposing tasks and the meanings, values and aspirations attached to them across
geographical, social and cultural settings.