1.3 Theoretical Approach
5
infrastructure might bring to affected communities. While my focus in this book is
on analysing the discursive meanings of social experts’ attribute to O&G operations,
I also acknowledge the material consequences of such operations.
In what follows, I adopt a hybrid epistemological approach that draws on the work
of key scholars associated with a range of critical theoretical traditions, including
neo-Marxist, postcolonialist, post-structuralist and critical realist perspectives. These
perspectives also include Freire (2005; Freire & Macedo, 1995; Freire & Mellado,
1973), Escobar (1992, 1995, 2002, 2004), Andreotti (2011; see also Andreotti &
Dowling, 2004) and Shrestha (1995). In this thesis, these scholars provide me with
the theoretical tools for conceptualising hierarchical relationships of power.
Broadly speaking, each perspective challenges the status quo, promoting the need
for social change through changes in individual and social consciousness (Freire,
2005; Freire & Macedo, 1995; Freire & Mellado, 1973; McLaughlin & DeVoogd,
2004). I draw on the work of Foucault (1970, 1980, 1982) who allows me to think
about how ‘power’ is not just hierarchical, but also fluid, in O&G contexts. I also
draw on Foucault’s notions of discourse, subjectivity and agency to explore how
social investment is constructed through language in my participants’ accounts.
In drawing on a hybrid epistemology for conducting research for this book, my aim
is to find “a between space situated in an enabling site for working through the stuck
places of present [discursive] practices” of social investment (Lather, 2006, p. 45).
My approach is similar to Jackson and Mazzei (2012) who also draw on different
conceptualisations of ‘power’ from diverse philosophical frameworks, where power
“shifts from possession to a relation when moving from structural to poststructural
frameworks” (p. 718). I explain my theoretical framework in more depth in Chapter 4.
The research involved interviews with 20 participants: 17 O&G social investment experts from 11 different countries, and three government representatives from
two different countries in the fields of energy and resources. I also conducted a
discourse analysis of the guideline documents most commonly adopted by my participants, namely the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards
on Environmental and Social Sustainability (Torrance, 2012); and the World Bank
Group Community-Driven Development Principles (WBG, 2002). My analysis of
the participants’ interview transcripts and guideline documents was informed by
Willig’s (2001) understandings of Foucauldian discourse analysis, which I explain
in more detail in Chapter 5.
1.4 Definition of Terms
There are a number of key terms utilised within this research that I need to explain
from the outset. These include ‘social investment’, ‘community’ and ‘experts’. When
defining each term, my aim is not to ‘fix’ each idea, rather, I provide each definition
as a starting point to ask after the process of their constructions (Davis, 1997).
5
infrastructure might bring to affected communities. While my focus in this book is
on analysing the discursive meanings of social experts’ attribute to O&G operations,
I also acknowledge the material consequences of such operations.
In what follows, I adopt a hybrid epistemological approach that draws on the work
of key scholars associated with a range of critical theoretical traditions, including
neo-Marxist, postcolonialist, post-structuralist and critical realist perspectives. These
perspectives also include Freire (2005; Freire & Macedo, 1995; Freire & Mellado,
1973), Escobar (1992, 1995, 2002, 2004), Andreotti (2011; see also Andreotti &
Dowling, 2004) and Shrestha (1995). In this thesis, these scholars provide me with
the theoretical tools for conceptualising hierarchical relationships of power.
Broadly speaking, each perspective challenges the status quo, promoting the need
for social change through changes in individual and social consciousness (Freire,
2005; Freire & Macedo, 1995; Freire & Mellado, 1973; McLaughlin & DeVoogd,
2004). I draw on the work of Foucault (1970, 1980, 1982) who allows me to think
about how ‘power’ is not just hierarchical, but also fluid, in O&G contexts. I also
draw on Foucault’s notions of discourse, subjectivity and agency to explore how
social investment is constructed through language in my participants’ accounts.
In drawing on a hybrid epistemology for conducting research for this book, my aim
is to find “a between space situated in an enabling site for working through the stuck
places of present [discursive] practices” of social investment (Lather, 2006, p. 45).
My approach is similar to Jackson and Mazzei (2012) who also draw on different
conceptualisations of ‘power’ from diverse philosophical frameworks, where power
“shifts from possession to a relation when moving from structural to poststructural
frameworks” (p. 718). I explain my theoretical framework in more depth in Chapter 4.
The research involved interviews with 20 participants: 17 O&G social investment experts from 11 different countries, and three government representatives from
two different countries in the fields of energy and resources. I also conducted a
discourse analysis of the guideline documents most commonly adopted by my participants, namely the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards
on Environmental and Social Sustainability (Torrance, 2012); and the World Bank
Group Community-Driven Development Principles (WBG, 2002). My analysis of
the participants’ interview transcripts and guideline documents was informed by
Willig’s (2001) understandings of Foucauldian discourse analysis, which I explain
in more detail in Chapter 5.
1.4 Definition of Terms
There are a number of key terms utilised within this research that I need to explain
from the outset. These include ‘social investment’, ‘community’ and ‘experts’. When
defining each term, my aim is not to ‘fix’ each idea, rather, I provide each definition
as a starting point to ask after the process of their constructions (Davis, 1997).