Andrés Pineda is a Ph.D. student at Roma Tre University and is in Chile as a visiting researcher with our Millennium Nucleus ICLAC from April to August 2024. We spoke with Andrés to learn more about his doctoral research and his experience in Chile. Here’s what he shared with us.
Name and Occupation…
Andrés Pineda, Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at Roma Tre University
What is your Ph.D. thesis about?
My doctoral thesis is a comparative study of the governance processes of the lithium industry in Chile and Argentina. Beyond a review of institutions, the study aims to analyze the interactions of political forces in defining processes of continuity and change in mineral governance, identifying how the political cycles of each country affect this.
On a transnational level, the role of China is crucial due to its increased involvement in extractive sector projects in the region, such as the lithium industry.
If you had to summarize your research in one sentence (or question)…
The research seeks to analyze internal political processes in defining governance around the lithium industry in Chile and Argentina.
What do you expect from your visit to Chile?
During my stay in Chile, I hope to closely follow discussions on the role of extractive industries in the country's socio-economic development, especially in the current context of frequent debates.
Regarding my specific research, I hope to engage in conferences and panels on natural resources, particularly lithium. I also aim to conduct interviews with people from various sectors, including academics, corporate staff, NGOs, and the public sector, to collect data for my doctoral thesis.
If you had to summarize the impacts of China in Latin America, you would say...
In recent decades, China has deepened its political and economic ties with many countries in the region. Economically, this increased presence offers these countries the opportunity to establish new forms of cooperation in financial and infrastructure sectors, such as energy and technology. However, due to the growing presence in the extractive sector, Latin American countries face the challenge of avoiding new dependency relationships and a deepening of the primary export model.
Favorite place in Chile so far…
Valparaíso.
What book are you reading?
I’m taking the opportunity to explore more Chilean literature. I recently finished the novel I am Afraid, bullfighter by Pablo Lemebel, set during the 1980s military dictatorship. Now, I’m starting a book set in the north of the country called Santa María de las Flores Negras by Hernán Rivera Letelier. This book, like other works by the author, depicts the daily life, conditions, and mobilization of nitrate miners in the early 20th century.