(Registration: 8:30-11:00, 1:00-1:30)
Coffee and refreshments served courtesy of The Local Buzz café
9:10 - 9:25
9:25 - 9:40
9:40 – 9:55
9:55 – 10:10
10:10 – 10:25
10:25 – 10:40
10:40 – 10:50
10:50 – 11:00
Moderator: Brandy Joy
, Furman University
“Hope for the Hopi: Finding Prosperity on the Rez”
, Clemson University
“Thai Hill Tribes Preservation of Culture in the 21 st
Century”
University of South Carolina-Columbia
“Undertaking: Collective Action and (Il)legal Oil Exploration in a Guatemalan
Conservation Zone”
,
University of South Carolina-Columbia
“New Challenges for Urban Youth in Amman: After the Arab Spring and
ISIS/DAESH.”
University of South Carolina-Columbia
“Cultural Perceptions of Chikungunya in the Dominican Republic”
, University of South Carolina-Columbia
“Modeling Early Archaic Mobility and Subsistence in South Carolina: A
Proposal”
Question and Answer Period
Break

11:00-11:45
,
11:45 – 12:00
Question and Answer Period
12:00 – 1:15 LUNCH
, College of Charleston
“School Lunches: The Effects of Public Policy on Rural School Systems”
, University of South Carolina-Columbia.
“Anaphors’ Topic-hood and Antecedents’ Empathy Status”
,
Clemson University
“My First Time Experience as an Archaeologist.”
Moderator: Sam Hackworth
1:30 – 1:45
1:45 – 2:00
, University of South Carolina-Columbia
“Vowel Production in Simultaneous Child Language: An Optimally Theoretic
Account”
, University of South Carolina-Columbia
“Analysis of L2 Text Readability: The Effects of Cohesion on Learner

2:00 – 2:15
2:15 – 2:30
2:30 – 2:45
2:45 - 2:55
Comprehension”
, University of South Carolina-Columbia
“A Study on Language Socialization and Repertoire of Arabic ESL Students in
Hudson County, New Jersey”
, Furman University
“Intrinsic Interests, Instrumental Goals: Mixed Motivations for Study Among
Students of Japanese Language at Furman University”
Question and Answer Period
Break
2:55 – 3:10
3:10 – 3:25
3:25 – 3:40
Moderator: Preston Kerns
, Furman University
“Black Enough: A Look Into The African-American Identity Among College
Students”
, University of South Carolina-Columbia.
“African American English”
Claflin University
“What Does It Mean To Be A Black Man?”
Moderator: Kristina Zarenko
3:40 – 3:55
, Claflin University
“Males in Females’ Jobs: Who Can Do It Better?”
3:55 – 4:10
, Trident Technical College
“The Sociocultural Impact of Illegal Immigration in the United States”
4:10 – 4:25
4:25 – 4:40
Clemson University
“Making the Deal: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of German and American
Business”
Question and Answer Period for Sessions 3 and 4

Christopher Lance, Clemson University
(Poster Session, 1:00-1:30)
My First Time Experience as an Archaeologist
Archaeology is an incredible field. It is extraordinarily diverse in its range of study and it can lead to a plethora of different experiences. This being said, the first time in the field can be rather daunting. During the summer of 2015, I was given the privilege of working on my first archaeological dig site in Brasov, Romania. The site was Castrum Cumidava, the location of an ancient Roman fortress that has been dated to around 200 AD. I spent six weeks working and living there and overall had an amazing experience. My poster will therefore examine my time there; what it is like to take the first foray into the archaeology world and what it is like to live in a foreign country in which everything is different. This will include images of our site, including those demonstrating some of the archaeological process, and some of the different culture I experienced and that at times was very difficult to adjust to. My goal in this presentation is to more adequately inform a potential archaeologist of what the field is like and what they can expect to gain from it. I believe that experiences such as these are highly important to better understanding the world, both our past through archaeological work and our present through interaction with a new culture.
Shinichi Shoji, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Poster Session, 1:00-1:30)
Anaphors’ Topic-hood and Antecedents’ Empathy Status
This psycholinguistic study investigates whether being the topic of text, and being identified as the locus of empathy affect the processing of repeated references (anaphors) in discourse. Earlier studies in English focused on the grammatical status of anaphors and their antecedents. These studies found that repeated name subject anaphors are processed slower when their antecedent is the grammatical subject of the previous sentence than when it is the object.
The reverse is true for English pronouns, which are read faster with subject than with object antecedents. However, little research exists on the role of discourse status factors such as topichood, or cultural linguistic status, such as empathy on the processing of reference. Here we report four self-paced reading experiments in Japanese, a language which marks topic and empathy overtly. For topics, Japanese employs an overt morpheme that identifies topics thus allowing us to contrast topic anaphors with non-topic anaphors. For empathy, Japanese distinguishes between verbs that place empathy locus on the subject vs. the object. Using sentence reading times as a dependent measure, our experiments found that: i) topic anaphors but not non-topic anaphors are read faster when the antecedent is in the subject position; ii) antecedents with empathy locus lead to slower reading of a subsequent repeated name subject anaphor. Overall, these results show that, in Japanese, repeated name anaphors that are topicmarked are processed similar to English pronouns, and that antecedents with empathy-locus are processed similar to grammatical subject antecedents in English.

Mary Stamato, College of Charleston
(Poster Session, 1:00-1:30)
School Lunches: The Effects of Public Policy on Rural School Systems
Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign was designed to address the rise of childhood obesity in the United States by promoting healthy lifestyle choices. One of the campaign’s arguably greatest accomplishments was the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into legislation in 2010 developed to set USDA regulated nutrition standards in schools across the
U.S. At the close of 2015, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act brought several important questions to the forefront of debate in the first steps of its reauthorization. Discussions concerning the act’s reauthorization are centered on its ability to suit the needs of school districts across the United States. Interviews carried out through this study with nutrition experts from related professional organizations as well as interviews and surveying of a school district in rural
South Carolina will help provide insight into the on-going debate and policymakers’ proposals for amendments. This project is concerned with the relationship between acts of public policy and school districts nationwide, asking the all-important question of whether or not acts of public policy, designed for national implementation, can retain a measure of cultural sensitivity while still accomplishing its goals.
Alisha Biler, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 2: 1:45 – 2:00
Analysis of L2 Text Readability: The Effects of Cohesion on Learner Comprehension
This paper expounds on the literature regarding assessment tools for text readability in L2 reading. The results indicate that cohesion analyses can better predict text comprehension by learners across proficiency levels and text topics than the oft-used readability tools measuring word/syntax complexity.
Text readability has long been assessed using traditional readability indexes, such as
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (Kincaid et al., 1975). However, psycholinguists have criticized the use of such tools due to their focus on surface-level features rather than psychological processes
(Carrell, 1987). For low-proficiency readers, cohesion factors such as LSA, causal connectives, and argument overlap have been found to play significant roles in text processing (McNamara et al., 2010).
The present study assesses the reading comprehension of over 250 university L2 learners with varying proficiency and backgrounds. Participants were students in an intensive English program and were given summative reading comprehension assessments over 18 months. For each proficiency level (Levels 1 – 6, beginner to high-intermediate), three different texts were used on a rotating basis, resulting in 48 different text analyses. The readability scores using

traditional readability measures as well as cohesion analyses were calculated and compared to participants’ scores on comprehension tests.
Comprehension scores over the 18-month testing period were moderately correlated to the level of cohesion in each text (r=.73) while they were less strongly correlated with Flesch-
Kincaid grade levels (r=.45). These results indicate that for L2 readers at multiple proficiency levels, cohesion plays a significant role in comprehension. Pedagogical and future research implications will be discussed.
Carrell, P. (1987) Readability in ESL. Reading in a Foreign Language, 4 (1): 21-40.
Crossley, S. A., Greenfield, J., & McNamara, D.S. (2008). Assessing text readability using cognitively based indices. TESOL Quarterly, 42(3): 475-493.
Graesser, A.C, McNamara, D.D., Louwerse, M.L., & Cai, Z. (2004). Coh-Metrix Analysis of text on cohesion and language. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 36: 193-202.
Kincaid, J.P., Fishburne, R.P., Rogers, R.L., & Chissom, B.S. (1975). Derivation of new readability formulas (
Automated Readability Index, Fog Count, and Flesch Reading Ease Formula for Navy enlisted personnel, Research Branch Report 8- 75, Millington, TN: Naval Technical Training, U.S. Naval Air
Station, Memphis, TN.
Mcnamara, D.S., Louwerse, M.M., McCarthy, P.M., Graesser, A.C. (2010) Coh-Metrix: Capturing linguistic features of cohesion. Discourse Processes, 47, 292-330.
Juliane Bilotta, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 2: 2:00 – 2:15)
A Study on Language Socialization and Repertoire of Arabic ESL Students in Hudson
County, NJ
As of 2013, the Bureau of Bilingual/ESL Education in New Jersey estimated that 1 out of every 21 public school students were registered as ESL learners with an even greater estimate that over 23% of students in the state come from a home speaking a language other than English.
Among these percentages, Arabic is reported as the second most common language spoken by
ELL students after Spanish. However, the disproportionate representation of Arabic ESL students socially and statistically indicates larger issues concerning the history of racialization of
Arabic speaking populations in the Metropolitan area. This paper will serve as the proposal for intended ethnographic fieldwork on the language socialization and repertoire of Arabic ESL students in Hudson County. Using an interdisciplinary approach which intersects linguistic anthropology, education, and history, this study will aim to answer questions regarding how processes of racialization and socialization impact identity formation and academic success in students from Arabic speaking homes.
Kiana Brown, Claflin University
(Paper Session 3: 3:25–3:40)
What Does it Mean to be a Black Man?
Throughout history there have been many photographed moments of black males that relayed important messages about what it meant to be a black man in particular eras. Many of these photographs were of iconic African American males that are still relevant today. Has the view of what it means to be a black man changed over time; and if so, how? This photo essay analyzes how African American males perceive themselves within society. Using photographs and short interviews, this paper will consider what it means to be a black man. Specifically, by

utilizing the language often used in reference to black men. The participants in this paper will be
20 black males between the ages of 19-50. Participants will be interviewed and asked to describe what it means to them personally to be a black man using the first five words that come mind.
Each individual will then be photographed holding a sign with their word of choice from the list of five written on it. The results demonstrate what it means to be a black man through the perspectives of these individuals as well as providing a comparison to past perspectives through connections of photographs of iconic black males.
Tyler R. Edmond, Furman University
(Paper Session 3: 2:55-3:10)
Black Enough: A Look Into the African-American Identity Among College Students
This paper focus on race and identity within the African-American community through a study of students in NAACP and SLBC at Furman University. With race being a social construct based around how one views themselves in relation to others, this paper will explore how and why African-Americans view themselves and others as African-American. Is there really such a notion of being not black enough? And is racial identity important in American society today?
At the core of this paper is the Black Identity Development (BID) theory which follows the steps of: (1) Naive, (2) Acceptance, (3) Resistance, (4) Redefinition, and (5) Internalization. Created around the 1960’s the BID theory stemmed from the period in which groups were being separated ethnically as either white or other. The Black Community, later referred to as the
African-American community in the 1970’s (both terms are still used interchangeably), were grouped together based on a similar geographic hereditary background. With this being said, questions arise as to who is really African-American. Does the term refer to those who were born in America and have African ancestry, or those born in Africa with legal US citizenship? Are they both African-American? If so where do those of mixed ancestry fit in and are they ‘black enough’ to be considered African-American? Is there a preferred ethnic mix that is assumed to be African-American?
Danielle Fahey, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 2: 1:30-1:45)
Vowel production in simultaneous child language: An optimality theoretic account
A Korean-English child’s spontaneous Korean utterances were recorded and high-back vowels were evaluated by native Korean speakers, using case study methodology. Smolensky’s (1996) proposed framework of child grammar, ranking MARKEDNESS constraints >> FAITHFULNESS constraints, did not adequately explain the output, likely due to the developmental level of the child. Applying adult Korean constraints also failed to explain the child’s preferences. Finally, inter-language influence (Paradis & Genesee, 1996), and the separate development hypothesis
(Meisel, 1986) were investigated. Applying the adult English constraints successfully explained the output pattern, and was highly suggestive of inter-language influence in this case.

Emily Gottberg, Clemson University
(Paper Session 1: 9:25-9:40)
Thai Hill Tribes Preservation of Culture in the 21st Century
The hill tribes of Northern Thailand are experiencing a complicated and crucial time in terms of preservation of their culture. While studying abroad in Northern Thailand from
January-May 2015, I experienced this firsthand. While I was there, I visited Lisu and Hmong villages and did homestays in Akha and Hmong villages. As economic and social factors constrict the continuation of life as these tribes know it, they are forced to make significant changes which have long-term impacts on their ability to survive and thrive economically and culturally. Because the hill tribes are not citizen under Thai law and do not have any rights or privileges as such, their options are limited. These small groups try to find solutions that allow them to continue to live and remain true to their cultural identities. Unfortunately, economic and political factors have not allowed this to happen. As younger tribe members leave to work in a cash driven economy and political entities put pressure on the hill tribes to stop living the way that they always have, the hill tribes are forced to find new modes of survival. Many have resorted to “community-based tourism” as a means to protect their lifeways economically and culturally. “Community-based tourism” is a short-term fix to a much larger pervasive issue and cannot be maintained long-term. A conscious effort to find a balanced approach to “communitybased tourism” in the short-term will allow for finding a long-term solution to protect the hill tribes and their lifeways.
Amy Holbrooks, Furman University
(Paper Session 2: 2:15-2:30)
Intrinsic Interests, Instrumental Goals: Mixed Motivations for Study Among Students of
Japanese Language at Furman University
This study offers an analysis of the motivations for study among Japanese language students. The sample consisted predominantly of students in Japanese 201, which is the last level that is required to fulfill Furman’s General Education Requirement of foreign language
study.
The goal was to determine why students chose to study Japanese and to identify factors that correspond to a student’s choice of whether to continue after the required level. Initial data was collected by a survey distributed to the class and was supplemented with individual interviews with a select number of respondents. Studies of language motivation often sort students along dichotomies of intrinsic or extrinsic motivation and integrative or instrumental motivation.
Because Japanese is a less commonly taught language and one that has a reputation of being harder for English natives to learn, I predicted that students would have a stronger sense of interest and thus would lean more toward intrinsic and integrative motivations. However, I found that the students in my sample often had strong characteristics of both intrinsic/extrinsic and integrative/instrumental motivations. The students were often, by their own explanations, turning what began as a personal interest (thus, an intrinsic/integrative orientation) into an overall career path by incorporating it into their academic major or future career goals (what would be considered extrinsic/instrumental orientations). After comparing my results with those of other studies of Japanese language students, I reasoned that the orientation of students found in a given study is likely dependent on the university they attend and the opportunities that school provides to turn their interest into a career.

James Kerns, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 1: 10:10-10:25)
Cultural Perceptions of Chikungunya in the Dominican Republic
Chikungunya (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that recently entered the Western hemisphere and tore through the Caribbean and most of Latin America. The symptoms include rash, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and fever. In many cases sufferers report persistent arthralgia long after the actual viral infection has subsided. There are a variety of misperceptions about CHIKV, which directly impact public health efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence of the disease. Understanding the epidemic spread of CHIKV in the D.R. and the growth of misperceptions about the origins, severity, cause, and treatment of the disease requires a perspective that encompasses much more than just the strictly biological. The spread and experience of CHIKV in the D.R. is also shaped by patterns of public spending, socioeconomic conditions, and the physical environment. Long-term historical processes in turn shape the socioeconomic conditions that are present alongside the disease, especially the relationship the
D.R. has had with the U.S. throughout the 20 th century. These historical relations and processes also affect the nature of misperceptions that spring up around CHIKV in the D.R. Historical analysis, semi-structured interviews, and surveys are used to document and contextualize particular cultural perceptions of CHIKV in the D.R. Understanding misconceptions about the transmission of the disease can help improve public health efforts that can be hindered by popular misperceptions of CHIKV.
Emilee Kutyla, Clemson University
(Paper Session 4: 4:10-4:25)
Making the Deal: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of German and American Business
During the summer of 2015, I interned with an American based company in the commercial vehicles industry. For this internship, I conducted participant observation and interviews with business men and women in parts of Germany and France, who dealt directly with the American corporation. My informants held various positions within the company, as well as independent consultants serving as a liaison for the two corporations. These observations and interviews focused on the cultural differences between the American and European groups, with an emphasis on the German company’s customs and procedures. This paper analyzes differences between these two entities and determines areas of possible misunderstanding. Major findings include the positive perception of German business strategies, lack of understanding of cultural differences within Germany, planning strategies, views of informality, and differences on the definition of personal relationships. Special attention is paid to these cultural differences, and the paper suggests strategies wishing to work with German corporations specifically, and perhaps Europe as a whole. These findings and recommendations will reveal how Americans might improve international business dealings in Europe.

Tiffany Peacock, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 3: 3:10-3:25)
African American English
On December 18, 1996, the Oakland School Board released a report and resolution which outlined proposed solutions to help educate their African American students better than their original methods. The Special Task Force created by the school board had found that the average
GPA of their African American Students was 1.8. An incredibly low statistic, the Oakland
School Board sought to find a solution to help their students to succeed in the classroom. Their intent was to never to literally teach “Ebonics”, but to use the distinct dialect of African
Americans as a tool for understanding and reinterpreting their speech into Standard English.
However within a week of their released resolution, the media had completely sensationalized the Oakland School Board findings by focusing in on one specific aspect: African Americans spoke their own distinct language. Commonly known as “Ebonics” literally meaning Ebony +
Phonics, which had been coined by two psychologists (Robert L. Williams and Robert Twiggs) to avoid the “white bias” and inaccuracy that was seen in older terms such as “non-standard
English” or “Broken English”.
The English dialect of African American English or “Ebonics” as it was once called has distinct features which mirror those found in Niger-Congo languages which systematically and linguistically making it a separate language while also being innovatively unique in its lexicon, sound, and rhythm. The word “Ebonics” became very controversial in the 1990s linguistically, politically, and demographically as educators and non-linguists verbally debated over the possibility of African American English being distinctive enough to be considered a separate dialect or language from the mainstream Standard English. Defining 4 competing theories of potential linguistic origin surrounding the “Ebonics” controversy, the ideas of a separate language for African Americans is challenged due to the preconceived notions of the distinct dialect being an incorrect version of Standard English. This paper further analyzes the controversy of African American English and the theories supporting for and against the dialect as being different; as well as focusing on what key issues were overlooked between 1996 and
1997 during the “Ebonics” Controversy.
Stephanie E. Prine, Trident Technical College
(Paper Session 4: 3:55-4:10)
The Sociocultural Impact of Illegal Immigration in the United States
Unrestricted free flowing immigration, which was historically the norm in the United
States, has quickly seen a change to restricted immigration. The catalyst for this change originated from the attacks of 9/11. The media contributes to how information about illegal information is processed and understood. The media’s choices of “framing” information, perpetrate stereotypes against the Latino culture as whole. Conservative media outlets utilize more threat language to outline arguments in support of restrictive immigration. Conservative media depiction of all Latinos as members of drug cartels, dangerous, and ultimately criminals directly influences American behavior in response. The dynamic between immigrants, those who are “perceived” to be immigrants, and American citizens is damaging. The transformed norms and perceptions of immigration by U.S. citizens have created a different relationship between
Americans and Hispanics, many of whom are U.S. citizens. Americans are placing more pressure

on policy makers to implement restrictive immigration policies. As a result, mass deportations take place, which directly affect the U.S. born children of the deported families. In 2013 alone, there were 440,000 alien removals. More than half of the removals were reported as noncriminal. Anthropological notes on the dynamic between immigrants and citizens, media coverage that influences this dynamic, and the sociocultural impact of these factors will aid policy makers in establishing laws that holistically both protect and establish order.
Holly Smith, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 1: 9:55-10:10)
New Challenges for Urban Youth in Amman: After the Arab Spring and ISIS/DAESH
My research focuses on how the aftermath of the Arab Spring and the emergence of terror groups including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS/DAESH) are putting pressures on vulnerable countries in the MENA region. These pressures include political instability, conflict, and economic inequality which are being further exacerbated by large waves of migrations within and between countries. As youth are actively involved in these social movements they are being framed alternatively as threats to or the hope for the region (Cole,
2014). However, little research has been done to examine young people’s perspectives on political and social issues, despite the relative youth of the region’s population (almost 60% of
Arab countries’ populations are under age 25(Cole, 2014). The MENA is not only a very young but also a very urbanized region, although the links between these two phenomena are rarely studied. My research examines how socio-spatial patterns in urban spaces influence processes of social-political belonging among young people (Robinson, 2002).
My study is located in Jordan, a highly urbanized (83%) country with a young population
(its youth dependency ratio is 53%). Jordan is facing incredible pressures as a result of recent regional conflicts (Bayat, 2010, Cole, 2014), and the capital city, Amman, is experiencing very rapid growth as a result of recent regional migration (Sharp, 2016). Amman was highly bifurcated prior to this unplanned growth, however, and is divided along socioeconomic and lines (Abassa, 2011). The fallout from the Arab Spring, combined with the impact of ISIS has swollen Jordan’s population, bringing large influxes of refugees into the city, which is challenging an already delicate social contract within the city. The western section of the city features elite enclaves, while the eastern section of the city is less affluent and more densely populated. This socio-spatial division is further complicated by sensitive ethnic tensions between native Jordanians and Palestinian Jordanians. Despite these tensions, Jordan is, remarkably, maintaining an unusual degree of political stability: why do relatively few young people from
Jordan join the radical political movements that attract other MENA youth? Amman is a perfect place to study how young people are envisioning their futures and making choices about social and political affiliation.
Forest Stulting, Furman University
(Paper Session 1: 9:10-9:25)
Hope for the Hopi: Finding Prosperity on the Rez
My paper is based on informal interviews and observations while attending the Basket
Dance at two villages on the Hopi Reservation located in Northern Arizona during the fall of
2015. I also use previous encounters on the reservation from the past 10 years as well as

anthropologist J Walter Fewkes descriptions of Basket Dances at the end of the 19 th
century. I examine how social and economic pressures have affected the ritual ceremonial tradition and caused it to change overtime despite the relative isolation of the Hopi people These pressures have created problems for the Hopi such as the need to live off the reservation (among many others) in order to be financially stable, which in turn has led to the decline of society and clan structures on which the rituals are dependent. These changes have led to the transformation of community-oriented values to individualistic as well as a growing concern for the men to show their dominance when fighting over gifts that are given out at the Basket Dance. All of these cause and effect situations are entangled together in the complicated web of clan structure, which is the nexus of the ceremonial tradition.
Tulleesha Burbage, Claflin University
(Paper Session 4: 3:40-3:55)
Males in Female’s jobs: Who can do it better?
The glass ceiling effect is a barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper level of the corporate world regardless of their qualifications or achievements. Gender stereotyping, lack of mentorship and insufficient training are a few reason that contributes to the continuation of the glass ceiling effect. Men and women are often socialized into what are perceived as gender specific occupations. Some examples these occupations that are characterized as “women job” are cosmetology, babysitting, office assistant. A few male dominate occupations are construction, firefighter and auto mechanic. In the 21 st
century, there has been some change in occupational position, leadership and economics. Using pictures from
Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat this photo essay will exam fifteen to twenty images of individuals who have occupations outside of the stereotypical gendered jobs.
Joseph E. Wilkinson, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 1: 10:25-10:40)
Modeling Early Archaic Mobility and Subsistence in South Carolina: A Proposal
The early Archaic cultural period lasted for roughly 2,000 years just after the last great ice age ended. The climate warmed and sea levels rose claiming a large portion of the foraging landscape exploited by the Paleoindian cultures before them. Despite inheriting a changed landscape and a shift in faunal species, early Archaic strategies of mobility and subsistence retain some continuity with their predecessors. Understanding their response to climate change will offer a new understanding to cultural adaptation in the past. This paper proposes a new approach for modeling early Archaic adaptations and strategies for mobility and subsistence.
Michael Young, University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Paper Session 1: 9:40-9:55)
Undertaking: Collective Action and (Il)legal Oil Exploration in a Guatemalan
Conservation Zone
In 2012 underground explosions shook Q’eqchi’ houses in Guatemala’s forested department of Izabal. Seismic testing for petroleum revealed a cache of low-grade crude now called the Amatique Basin. This took place inside the Rio Dulce National Park, a supposedly

“protected” area. Through controversial law reforms oil production in Guatemala is projected to increase from 4,500 to 50,000 barrels per day by 2020 disregarding protectionist policies.
Recently, petroleum companies have been offering incentives to Izabal communities to allow for exploration on their land utilizing the guise of “Corporate Social Responsibility.” Meanwhile the
Catholic Church, which has a long history of organizing Guatemalan communities, has been strengthening the ways communities in the region assemble. Building on an existing network of
26 Q’eqchi’ communities, a sector system with detailed meeting schedules was constructed by local clergy and community leaders. These sector meetings facilitate social issues to be discussed in addition to scripture. My recent fieldwork centered on a meeting that took place in June of
2015 where representatives from the communities within the network were present. At this meeting I was able to map where oil exploration has taken place while coordinating community visits. Over the course of summer 2015 I visited 15 communities and conducted interviews with community members/leaders, Catholic clergy, NGO officials, and governmental representatives.
In this presentation I will be discussing my preliminary dissertation findings and data analyses concerning Guatemala’s oil industry upon this region and the reactions by affected communities.

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