This episode of the State of Power podcast examines the case of the resistance against the TAP pipeline in Salento, Italy.  Expected to bring 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Azerbaijan, the pipeline has been hailed as an impressive feat of engineering that will help solve Europe’s energy needs. However, there is no overstating how much the local populations along the pipeline detest this development.

We use the resistance against TAP to explore a process we call “pacification”, which is part of how capitalist elites, states and transnational corporations deal with protest and resistance against their activities.  In October 2018 TNI convened a conference on pacification over three days in this affected region in Italy. Delegates, who included local activists, scholars, and even the mayor of the nearest town, Melendugno heard how despite massive local resistance, construction work on the pipeline began in March 2017, and currently still continues.

Guests:

Mark Neocleous: Professor of the Critique of Political Economy, Brunel University, UK.

Dr. María del Carmen Verdú: Lawyer, campaigner with Correpi: Coordinator Against Police and Institutional Repression), Argentina

No TAP activists, Salento, Italy.