John Andrew McNeish

Energy and Natural Resources have a power beyond their material properties

I am a researcher in political ecology and resource governance, focusing on the social and political impacts of energy projects and natural resource extraction. My research examines how state and corporate claims for resource and energy security often clash with local concerns for sustainable livelihoods and popular sovereignty. I investigate the historical roots and contemporary conflicts arising from this misalignment and explore potential political and legal responses to mitigate the most severe social and environmental consequences.

My work draws on theories from political anthropology, global political ecology, and the study of commodity flows between Latin America and Europe. I pay particular attention to how inequality, violence, and conflicts over resource and land sovereignty shape energy projects, infrastructure development, and resource management. Additionally, I explore parallels between controversies around energy projects and the competition for "New Space," involving public and private initiatives in space exploration. I also lead a national PhD research school funded by the Norwegian Research Council, which focuses on energy transition and its associated controversies. Through this role, I contribute to advancing knowledge and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on energy transitions.

I am the author of a series of peer-reviewed articles, co-authored books, and the monograph Sovereign Forces: Everyday Challenges to Environmental Governance in Latin America (Berghahn Books, 2021). To foster solutions, my colleagues and I propose exploration of innovative approaches to coproductive dialogue and planning that acknowledges and navigates the vastly different values, positions, and ontologies of stakeholders in the interest of both people and planet.