Violence against Environmental Defenders in Mining
Our Research Partnership and core group
This research partnership is financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation
This partnership links research institutions passionate about environmental defenders and environmental justice. Co-designed using the KFPE principles pooling capacities and research priorities we aim to generate a deeper understanding of dynamics of violence and protection of environmental defenders in the mining sector.
The Team
The international research initiative is led by core group of researchers coordinating activities with national partners, defender networks and national teams.
Jörg Balsiger
Principle Investigator
Jörg Balsiger is Associate Professor at the Department of Geography and Environment (Geneva School of Social Sciences) and the Institute for Environmental Sciences. He currently serves as Director of the Hub for Environmental Governance and Territorial Development.
Peter Bille Larsen
Senior Researcher and VIA coordinator
Peter Bille Larsen is a senior lecturer and researcher in the Department of Sociology and Environmental Governance and Territorial Development Institute of the University of Geneva. his work addresses the intersection between environmental governance and social equity concerns.
Raquel Yrigoyen
Lead Researcher Peru
Raquel Yrigoyen Fajardo is Peruvian lawyer and Vice President of the International Institute on Law and Society in Lima. She leads research activities in Peru.
Augusto Gatmaytan
Lead Phillipines
Dr Augusto “Gus” Gatmaytan, Associate Professor at the Department of Anthropology, Ateneo de Davao University leads Philippines activities.
Willice Abuya
Kenya lead
Willice O. Abuya is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Psychology, Moi University, Kenya. He obtained his PhD (in Sociology) at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. His area of specialisation is in Environmental Sociology, with focus on Sociology of Mining and Corporate Social Responsibility.