Dispossession, Extractive Capitalism and Political Reactions From Below in West Papua

Examining two distinct types of resistance, this study explores how local inequalities in land and power have shaped and differentiated the political reactions of West Papuans in the face of dispossession. The first type involves overt struggle against dispossession. Two cases of indigenous communities resisting the expansion of plantations shed light on how alliances between indigenous landholders, local state actors and environmental NGOs can create a political opportunity structure that bolsters the demands of resistance groups. The second type, a less-studied response to dispossession, demonstrates how terms of inclusion shape the strategies of landholding groups demanding to be incorporated into contract arrangements. This study relies on primary materials collected during fieldwork in West Papua since 2019, combined with secondary data.