Reports on the state of freshwater reserves warn that severe local shortages are imminent, and predict that violent conflicts will emerge in water-scarce regions around the world. Water scarcity has been shown to cause civil conflict, particularly when accompanied by high population density, poverty, and income inequality. Urban migrant communities, where ethnic, religious, and class differences can exacerbate tensions, and community-wide patterns of adaptation to environmental scarcities are not well-formed, may be particularly vulnerable to water conflicts. To better understand how conflicts develop in water-scarce regions, a PhD student of cultural anthropology will sample 60 households in Villa Israel, a barrio of Cochabamba, Bolivia, where conflict over water is an established part of life. Every winter, seasonal water shortages threaten the lives of the people of Villa Israel, forcing them to make choices in how they use their economic and social resources. Using a combination of formal and informal interviews, participant observation, and archival research, the student will determine if and how cooperative economic and social ties break down during the dry season, facilitating the emergence of conflicts.
Broader implications: In addition to contributing to the education of a doctoral student and a Bolivian undergraduate, the study has practical applications for those seeking to anticipate and manage coming conflicts over scarce freshwater. By determining when and how social ties become vulnerable during periods of severe water scarcity, the research will point policymakers and development planners to possible avenues for conflict prevention in marginal urban communities.
