Extractive hydrosocial territorialization in Zacatecas, Mexico

Abstract

This article analyses the water crisis in the central region of Zacatecas, Mexico, by adopting a hydrosocial territorial approach that brings into dialogue the notions of water grabbing as enclosure and hydroextractivism as ongoing rent extraction. We argue that the crisis is not fundamentally the result of absolute water scarcity, but rather the outcome of the historical production of an extractive hydrosocial territory, characterized by chronic groundwater overexploitation, water contamination, and unequal allocation. The proposed Milpillas dam is therefore unlikely to overcome the crisis. Accordingly, we examine non-supply-side alternatives through the lens of soft-water paths.