Ontological justice at the extractive frontier: Illegal gold mining and pluriversal governance in the Colombian Amazon

Abstract

Illegal gold mining is devastating the Amazon rainforest, sparking debates over potential solutions and the role of indigenous communities. This article examines the diverse and often conflicting discourses surrounding Amazonian mining, arguing for a new ontological approach that reclaims control over narratives historically appropriated or marginalised by dominant forces. Such an approach requires challenging existing power structures and reasserting the agency and value of underrepresented groups. While implementing conservation policies in Amazonian countries is undeniably complex, the core issue revolves around who has a voice in these decisions. This article highlights the political challenges inherent in addressing these complexities, advocating for inclusive frameworks where both humans and non-humans actively contribute to shaping the future of nature. To tackle this crisis, the concept of Ontological Justice (OJ) is advanced, combining two key principles. First, justice must be done to different ontologies, ensuring they are equally valued. Second, the idea of justice itself must be reimagined as pluralistic, drawing on insights from diverse ontologies. By engaging with the ontological turn, the pluriverse, and Latin American decolonial debates, it proposes OJ as a framework capable of integrating diverse worldviews into mining governance. In doing so, it calls for more inclusive, relational, and pluriversal policies to confront illegal mining and support long-term ecological and social resilience in Amazonia.