15/06 | Seminar Series: Speak4Nature – Valeria Berros y Virginia Gazzo

On Monday, June 15, a new S4N Seminar Series will take place, led by Valeria Berros (UNL) and Virginia Gazzo (UNL), who will be joining us during June as part of their Speak4Nature residency program; Valeria Berros at Carlos III University of Madrid and Virginia Gazzo at the Autonomous University of Madrid. The seminar is co-organized by THECO-UC3M, the Autonomous University of Madrid, the Institute of Contemporary Studies, Politics and Governance (UC3M), and the Seminar on Critical Theories (UC3M).

The session will take place in room 15.1.01 of the Getafe Campus (UC3M) from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. It can also be followed online via this link: [Link to online]

This will be a great opportunity to greet colleagues and learn more about their work within the Speak4Nature project.

Speak4Nature’s Seminar Series

“Legal frameworks in tension regarding the ecological issue” by M. Valeria Berros

The proposal is to examine the conflicting coexistence of various legal frameworks—especially those linked to environmental law, the recognition of the rights of nature, and the law of extractivism, which particularly involves setbacks in environmental protection and incentives for foreign investment regimes—and to analyze their territorial effects based on the case of lithium mining in the Salar del Hombre Muerto in the Argentine province of Catamarca.

“The extension universitaria as a mode of democratization of knowledge. Territorial experiences of the National University of the Litoral” by M. Virginia Gazzo

University outreach is one of the three core functions that, along with teaching and research, form the basic pillars of the current university model in Latin American countries. It reflects the interactive relationship that the university establishes with its community in the social, cultural, and productive dimensions, through the circulation of knowledge and the pursuit of its democratization and social appropriation. Each action aims to make a concrete contribution to strengthening citizenship and public policy. From this perspective, and with the aim of enriching research lines, the “Meulen” Project[1] gave rise to the idea of ​​creating the Social Outreach and Interest Project (PEIS) “Camp for Ecological Justice,” which has been underway since 2019 at the Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences of the National University of the Littoral.

The PEIS (Environmental Education Project) aims to identify socio-environmental conflicts and challenges, their institutional responses, and inequalities in access to justice, information, and participation in environmental matters in small towns in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. Through legal workshops, team members, along with students, volunteers, members of social organizations, and experts connected to the topics under analysis, conduct interviews, household surveys, workshops, discussion groups, activities with children, and visits to representative institutions in the chosen area. The goal is to promote ecological justice, highlight the importance of a just transition, and strengthen local capacities.

There is an ongoing process of knowledge building with community members that doesn’t end with each encampment. While certain understandings are established, new questions also arise, forcing us to rethink our practices and develop new approaches. In this meeting, we will focus on the experience in the horticultural belt surrounding the city of Santa Fe. This area is characterized by small-scale production geared towards the domestic market and family-based labor, and it faces a variety of challenges that, if not understood and addressed, could jeopardize its survival.

[1] Project directed by Prof. María Valeria Berros – Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences of the National University of the Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentine Republic.

Biography: