Contribution short abstract:

The presentation explores the anthropological dimensions of sand mining in Cambodia, highlighting the erosion of traditional commons and environmental justice issues. It addresses the challenges of conducting research under autocratic rule, emphasizing the impacts of extraction on local communities.

Contribution long abstract:

This presentation investigates Cambodia's contentious sand mining operations, set against the escalating global demand for construction aggregates. Central to this analysis is the socio-environmental impact of extractivism within the existing power structures in Cambodia, which grapples with the juxtaposition of blame for unwanted outcomes and a history resounding with socialist echoes of 'benefit for all'.

Initial research results reveal that communities enduring severe environmental impacts do not protest, while spiritual authority erodes against the backdrop of market-based exploitation. These phenomena highlight profound social transformations, driven by the 'thirst for sand' (Jamieson 2019) and subsequent extractivism. Emphasizing these dynamics, this presentation navigates the complex terrain of (un)commoning practices within Cambodia's sand mining contexts, referencing the planned anthropological research project 'Sandscapes in Southeast Asia'. The aim is to explore crucial questions around the negotiation of natural resources and the impact of large-scale interventions on human and non-human relationships.

Critical to the analysis is the acknowledgment that conducting research under Cambodia's autocratic rule presents significant challenges. The reality of limited transparency, restricted information access, stifled public discourse, and the ever-present fear of retaliation hinder comprehensive inquiry. The phenomenon of self-censorship, resulting from these factors, will be further examined and discussed in the context of this paper.