Regulation of water governance regimes in Bolivian cities
Michael Eichholz, Geographisches Institut, Universität Bonn
Regulation of water governance regimes in Bolivian cities
Versión en español
Many cases of water governance regimes in the so-called developing world are more heterogeneous than the modern central supply system known from many western countries. In cities of the global South, central water supply networks often serve only a small, mostly wealthy part of the urban population. On the other side, the growing slums and informal settlements in many cases organize their water supply by their own on a community level. Those solutions substantially differ both in technical and in organisational standards (and logics) from the modern approaches of water supply management.
The research is located in Bolivia - one of the poorest countries in South America in terms of GDP but also one of the richest with respect to indigenous population and traditions. The project focuses on peri-urban areas of the fast growing cites of the central axis (eje central). For decades ignored by the ruling elites of the country, the marginalized villas of these cities provide various alternative ways to organize water supply. Based on intensive user participation in management, decision-making, just as construction and maintenance of the infrastructure, those systems build on indigenous institutions and ideas of communal practice and problem solving.
Water supply is conceptualized as social-ecological system, in which societal relationships with nature are regulated in different modes. Modes of regulations are understood as social practices which are characterized by specific technological artefacts and corresponding forms of social organisation (Becker/Jahn 2006). How the social practices are negotiated between competing actors is studied with reference to Bourdieus theory of practice. Further, concepts of post-colonialism and post-development are taken into account for the analysis of past and current policies of infrastructure development in the country.
The research is conducted in cooperation with the PACIVUR programme of the french Institut de Recherche pour le développement (IRD) in Bolivia.
