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Review of Martin Mowforth's The Violence of Development: Resource Depletion, Environmental Crises, and Human Rights Abuses in Central America
In his text, The Violence of Development: Resource Depletion, Environmental Crises, and Human Rights Abuses in Central America, Martin Mowforth presents a detailed analysis of development projects over the past decade in Central America. This text presents an array of case studies on the violent consequences of mismanagement of natural resources such as food, water, and energy, placing a heavy emphasis on the negative consequences of transnational corporations. The result is a primarily social and qualitative-based conclusion that places fault with only a few of the many actors responsible for the continuing violence in Central America.
The author, Martin Mowforth, PhD, is an associate lecturer at Plymouth University in England and the editor of the Environmental Network for Central America newsletter. His background is in human geography and transport systems and he has worked in Central America for over twenty years. During this time, Mowforth has applied his background knowledge to understanding the violent results of resource management issues throughout the Central American region, while achieving a high level of knowledge of the actual human conditions.
Pluto Press, a self-proclaimed "radical" publishing company, published the book in early 2014.1 As such, the conclusion, which focuses on transnational corporations as the main perpetuators of violence, is somewhat unsurprising. Towards the end of the text, Mowforth states, "Development today is no less violent and no less based in ideology than it was during the Cold War. The use of the political strategy of death threats and assassinations (so often associated with the defence of the power and privilege of transnational corporations and oligarchies) remains remarkably common in Central America."2
A great strength of the text is Mowforth's logical tone and easy language. His diction allows for...