Treadmills of Production and Destruction Frameworks on Water Withdrawals in the United States

• In Event: 046 - Section on Environment and Technology Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 08. Water Use and Governance

Abstract

Addressing the social drivers and consequences of water access and availability is a major concern for the 21st century. Water has necessary and important connections to public health and economic sectors such as agriculture, industry, and energy. Climate change will add dire consequences and outcomes to water resources such as droughts. Few studies apply a sociological theoretical framework on the social determinants of water usage. Existing quantitative sociological research of water examine the effects of the markets and natural environment. Yet research shows that the presence of militarism and state intervention plays a huge role into water management. My paper tests the effects and interactions between markets and militarism on agricultural and non-agricultural water in the United States. The sociological frameworks I use are the treadmill of production and treadmill of destruction. By focusing on the United States, I do a meso-level analysis that incorporates micro interactions within the US as well as international connections.

Author

• Camila Huerta Alvarez, University of Oregon