UDTR Global Rights of Nature Radar

Contested Knowledges: Large Dams and Mega-Hydraulic Development

Identification

Public canonical key

doi:10.3390/w11030416

Authors

Rutgerd Boelens · Esha Shah · Bert Bruins

Reported year

2019

Reported language

en

Source type

article

First detected

2026-11-09T19:04:47.840908+00:00

Last metadata observation

2026-11-09T19:04:47.840908+00:00

Last HTTP verification

Not checked

Institutions reported by the source

Central University of Ecuador · Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú · University of Amsterdam · Wageningen University & Research

Reported affiliation countries

EC · NL · PE

Documentary abstract — original language

Locally and globally, mega-hydraulic projects have become deeply controversial. Recently, despite widespread critique, they have regained a new impetus worldwide. The development and operation of large dams and mega-hydraulic infrastructure projects are manifestations of contested knowledge regimes. In this special issue we present, analyze and critically engage with situations where multiple knowledge regimes interact and conflict with each other, and where different grounds for claiming the truth are used to construct hydrosocial realities. In this introductory paper, we outline the conceptual groundwork. We discuss ‘the dark legend of UnGovernance’ as an epistemological mainstay underlying the mega-hydraulic knowledge regimes, involving a deep, often subconscious, neglect of the multiplicity of hydrosocial territories and water cultures. Accordingly, modernist epistemic regimes tend to subjugate other knowledge systems and dichotomize ‘civilized Self’ versus ‘backward Other’; they depend upon depersonalized planning models that manufacture ignorance. Romanticizing and reifying the ‘othered’ hydrosocial territories and vernacular/indigenous knowledge, however, may pose a serious danger to dam-affected communities. Instead, we show how multiple forms of power challenge mega-hydraulic rationality thereby repoliticizing large dam regimes. This happens often through complex, multi-actor, multi-scalar coalitions that make that knowledge is co-created in informal arenas and battlefields.

Identifiers

DOI

10.3390/w11030416

OPENALEX

W2915871516

HANDLE

11245.1/065dc67a-f001-4a13-9310-fe180b0e2e31

Documentary context

Documentary family

Scholarship

Source-reported types

article

Natural entities mentioned

Territory

Entity mentions are not evidence of legal recognition. Jurisdiction studied is separate from author affiliation country.

Sources

OpenAlex · Record 1 · Record 2 · Record 3

• DOI · https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030416
• Handle · https://hdl.handle.net/11245.1/065dc67a-f001-4a13-9310-fe180b0e2e31
• OpenAlex · https://openalex.org/W2915871516

Documented bibliographic relations

Source-declared references and links; they do not establish legal support or UGLC qualification. Up to 20 outgoing references are displayed.

• openalex:w1137911379 · CITES
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• openalex:w2008307783 · CITES
• openalex:w2014840061 · CITES
• openalex:w2015411663 · CITES
• openalex:w202491304 · CITES
• openalex:w2027469057 · CITES
• openalex:w2027732692 · CITES

8 incoming references within the detected corpus

Documentary status

Relevance pending

Library

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