10/12/11–Dr. Amber Wutich:
The "Water War" of 2000 in Cochabamba, Bolivia was widely celebrated as a triumph of impoverished Bolivians over avaricious private water companies. This event also marked a major turning point in Bolivian national politics, and was followed by the election of Evo Morales, a leftist indigenous activist who played an important role in the Water War, as president. Given the victory of the Water War and the broader shift toward policies that prioritize social justice in Bolivia, many assume that water-related scarcity and injustice have disappeared in Cochabamba. In reality, however, the exclusion of Cochabamba's squatter settlements—containing nearly half of the city's population—from the municipal water system has continued largely unabated since the Water War. This lecture examines how Cochabamba's squatters survive in the face of institutional injustice and severe water scarcity, with a particular focus on local commons and reciprocal institutions. It also documents the biocultural costs for squatters, including nutritional impacts, sanitation-related health risks, and emotional distress. The lecture concludes by putting the water scarcity and institutional injustice experienced by Cochabamba's squatters in cross-cultural perspective.
