Course: Introduction to the cultural history of metals and metallurgy
This theoretical course provides a comprehensive exploration of the cultural perceptions of metals and metallurgy, with a focus on classical European literature and its connections to the Andean region.
Cultural conceptions of metals encompass the indigenous groups perspectives on their relationships with metals, including gold, copper, mercury, and other such materials. Traditionally, these indigenous groups attribute parental and sexual connotations to metals; the maturation and growth of metals and the roles of humans as their transformers recur prominently.
While Western and North American populations often view metals through the lens of aesthetics or as minerals vital in energy transition, it is essential to ponder what metals signify for indigenous and non-indigenous communities in regions heavily influenced by extractive industries. Are the cultural meanings attached to metals by indigenous populations novel, or do they have deep historical roots connecting the Andes and Europe?
This course covers the following topics:
- A theoretical examination of anthropocentric views of metals,
- The cultural significance of metals in ancient Peru, and
- Contemporary ethnographies related to metals.
Course Type: This course is available in a virtual synchronous format.
Frecuency: It is offered based on demand, for individuals and small groups.
Duration: 15 weeks (3 hours per week).
Language: Spanish
For Those interested, please contact me at: informes@victorhugopachas.pe
COURSE: Small-scale mining: general notions and concepts
This theoretical course provides a comparative approach to the examination of small-scale mining across various metals, emphasizing its structural and cultural dimensions. Small-scale mining is often depicted as a form of organized crime and is currently under pressure to eliminate the use of mercury in line with the Minamata Convention.
The activities of these mining communities have had severe environmental repercussions, yet they represent a hybrid population that is inadequately conceptualized and protected by their respective countries’ policies.
Conservationist sectors tend to prioritize the preservation of the forest over the welfare of the individuals engaged in small-scale mining. This perspective advocates for the eradication of the mining activity, often without a comprehensive understanding of the religious and cultural processes that these communities undergo. In the past decade, many South American states have responded to this issue with repression and violence in their efforts to regulate this economy.
The ongoing debate between eliminating small-scale extractive activities and environmental conservation is complex and often polarized.
This course offers discussions on topics such as:
- The definition of small-scale mining,
- Social transformations and the emergence of new rural communities
- Mining formalization and its impact on biodiversity, and
- The symbolism of masculinity and femininity in the mining context.
Course Type: This course is available in a virtual synchronous format.
Frecuency: It is offered based on demand, for individuals and small groups
Duration: 15 weeks (3 hours per week).
Language: Spanish
For Those interested, please contact me at: informes@victorhugopachas.pe