The politics and political possibilities of India’s anti-coal struggles

He notes that economic liberalization has led to a fundamental shift in the political economy of coal extraction in India, away from an earlier emphasis on state-led developmentalism and in favour of private investment and profitmaking. However, such shifts have not resulted in a rapid expansion of private coal mining activity on the ground.

He argues that the highly incremental nature of coal mine expansion and related dispossessions are the outcome of particular forms of private accumulation being facilitated by the liberalization of the sector.

Mining-related processes are also significantly intermediated and shaped by local political contestations over their socio-economic impacts. These localized struggles are themselves not independent of the broader structural dynamics outlined above, but rather reflect how affected communities are navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by the liberalization of coal mining in India.