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Raphael Hoetmer Associate
Our people —
Associate
Raphael Hoetmer is a Dutch researcher, organiser, popular educator and proud father. He has been living in Peru for twenty years, in which he collaborated closely with a variety of indigenous and peasant communities and social movement organisations in the defence of their rights and territories against extractivism in Peru, as well as in other parts of Latin America. Rapha is a firm believer that collaboration, creativity and grass roots organising build better worlds.
Rapha coordinates the Pacto Eco-social e Intercultural del Sur and the Latin American Working Group Beyond Development, and currently serves as the director of the Western Amazon program at Amazon Watch (since 2022). Formerly, he was the strategy advisor for Amnesty International in the Americas (2017-2022), the program coordinator for Peru at Broederlijk Delen (2011-2017), and director of the Peruvian Research Centre Program on Democracy and Global Transformation (2007-2010).
As an educator, Rapha has supported, and continues to support, the design and facilitation of academic and popular education programs, including the Alternatives for Buen Vivir diploma organized by Tarpurisunchis and the National University Micaela Bastidas, the Schools for Social Leaders of the Red Muqui, of CONACAMI, the Platafora Interinstitucional Celendina, and the Federation of Housekeepers in Peru, the international Water Justice program of the Centro Bartolome de las Casas and the Future of Human Rights Program of JustLabs and the Open Societies Foundation, among other processes and meetings in the Americas and Europe. Rapha also taught at San Marcos and the Antonio Ruiz de Montoya universities in Peru.
Hoetmer has an MA in contemporary history from Groningen University (Netherlands), and has coordinated a variety of (participatory) research projects, including the Research Consortium on Social Movements and Politico-Cultural Transformations in Latin America (2009-2011). He has written several articles, a variety of reports and policy papers, and edited eight volumes on social movements, human rights, democracy and extractivism (see selection below). Rapha recently published ¿Como volver a vivir tranquilos? (2022) together with José De Echave and Rocio Silva Santiesteban.
Areas of expertise:
Political ecology of extractivism; alternatives to extractivism and just transition; Interculturality and indigenous rights in the Andes and Amazon; Social movements and democracy in Latin America; Strategic campaigning; Organizational development; and participatory and intercultural processes of (strategic) planning, learning, and research.
Selection of Publications
“Disputed territories, institutions and autonomies: perspectives from three decades of contemporary extractivism in Peru” in: Penelope Anthias and Pabel C. López Flores, Neoextractivism and territorial disputes in Latin America (2024)
¿Cómo volver a vivir tranquilos? With Rovio Silva-Santisteban and José De Echave (2023)
Nuevas derechas autoritarias. Co-edited with Ferdinand Muggenthaler, Ana Robayo, and Milagros Aguirre (2020)
“Flowing With the River’s Go: Seeking Ethical, Pragmatic, and Strategic Participation in the Design of a Regional Funding Strategy” in: International Review of Qualitative Research. With Alfredo Ortiz (2020)
Informe sobre extractivismo y derechos en la región andina. Abusos de poder contra defensores y defensoras de los derechos humanos, del territorio y del medio ambiente with Francisco Hurtado (2018)
Stopping the machines of socio/ecological destruction and building alternative worlds with the Global Working Beyond Development (2017)
“This is no longer a democracy…” Thoughts on the Local Referendums on Mining on Peru’s Northern Frontier” in: Sonia Alvarez, Agustin Lao Montes, Millie Thayer, Jeff Rubin and Gianpaolo Baiocchi (eds.), Beyond Civil Society: Activism, Participation and Protest in 21st Century Latin America (Duke University Press; Durham), 226-251. (2017)
Perú, Estado plurinacional e intercultural (2013)
Minería y movimientos sociales en el Perú. Instrumentos y propuestas para la defensa de la vida, el agua y los territorios. Co-edited with Miguel Castro, Mar Daza, José De Echave y Clara Ruiz (2013)
Crisis y movimientos sociales en Nuestra América. Cuerpos, territorios, imaginarios en disputa with Virginia Vargas Valente and Mar Daza (2012)
La Amazonía Rebelde. Perú 2009. Co-edited with Hector Alimonda and Diego Saavedra Celestino (2009)
Repensar la Política desde América Latina. Cultura, Estado y movimientos sociales (2009)