Quechua Oqrakashqa: The Effects of Mining Consortia and Globalization on Local Quechua Communities in the Peruvian Andes

Mining consortia play an important part in improving Peru’s world role in the export of precious and base metals and minerals. But as with all extractive operations, these industries frequently overlook the cultural effect mining production has on traditional communities. One of the most debilitating socioeconomic factors affecting recipient communities of global mining operations is language use which imparts meaning to project successes from the standpoint of a host nation, international investors, and on-the-ground actors. This paper explores local indigenous language and gender dynamics as they play out in the Peruvian Andes, an area of increasing interest to global mining consortia.