Tom Gatehouse – författare

From the time of Columbus and the Spanish conquistadores, the history of Latin America has been closely entwined with mining. Yet in recent decades, the industry has taken on vast new dimensions, becoming far more powerful and destructive than anything seen in earlier periods. Driven by high mineral prices, mining companies have moved into countries where hitherto they had little or no presence, and ventured into ever more remote and ecologically sensitive areas, such as high up in the Andean cordillera and deep into the Amazon rainforest. This has brought about unprecedented social and environmental changes: entire landscapes have been radically transformed, and lifestyles which have changed little in centuries have, in some cases, disappeared altogether. But as mining has expanded, so has social conflict, with frontline communities mobilizing in defence of their lands, water, livelihoods, and cultures. This resistance has occurred throughout the region and has taken on very different forms: from roadblocks to research; from sabotage to street theatre.While some communities have paid a heavy price for their opposition, others have achieved some impressive victories. The Heart of Our Earth tells their story: how the mining industry has affected them, how they have fought back, and their visions for fairer and more sustainable futures. Written in clear, non-technical language, The Heart of Our Earth is for students, academics, activists, journalists, and anyone who has ever wondered about the true costs of the metals which increasingly power our lives.

These are uncertain times in Latin America. Popular faith in democracy has been shaken; traditional political parties and institutions have stagnated. And yet, in recent years, autonomous social movements have multiplied and thrived. Voices of Latin America tells the story of the major issues, conflicts and campaigns for social justice in the region today, in the words of the protagonists of these movements themselves. Latin America Bureau (LAB) spoke to people from 14 countries, from Mexico to the Southern Cone. These include indigenous activists fighting oil drilling in their territory; mothers from favelas seeking justice for their children killed by the police; opponents of large-scale mining projects; independent journalists working to expose corruption and human rights violations, despite great personal risk; women and LGBT people fighting violence and discrimination; and students demanding the right to a free, universal and high-quality system of education. The locations and causes are disparate, but there is evidence of co-operation and shared learning between the different movements which link issues and cross national borders.Voices of Latin America is essential reading for tourists, gap-year students, travellers, journalists and anyone else with an interest in contemporary social movements in Latin America, along with students and academics of courses including Latin American studies, gender studies, politics, social anthropology and development studies.