Comprehending the nature of mine-community relationships from the locals’ unspoken viewpoints in Geita, Tanzania

Abstract

As it is widely observed, the operations of Multinational Mines (MMs) in rural communities like those in Africa have been generally opposed and sometimes causing violent conflicts. Exploration of the patterns of the relationship between the two sides is increasingly attracting attention of scholars. Public relations researchers are at the forefront, looking not only at the nature of such relationships but also means of gaining mutual understanding and partnership. Different strategies in addressing the relationship between the two parties have been embraced. Of recent, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs have been championed by MMs as part of a solution. Although studies in the field of public relations and beyond have documented discourses and practices in CSR, a need to know how local communities perceive CSR initiatives aiming at addressing misunderstandings between them and MMs, remains central. Focusing on the interactions between a mining company and communities surrounding it in Geita, Tanzania, this study examines the accounts of community members in the area, to illuminate how their unspoken viewpoints on CSR practices reveal the nature of their relationship with the mining firm. Inspired by a critical theorization of social capital, and employing qualitative approaches (semi - structured interviews, and discourse analysis), the study depicts how community members' accounts, implicitly, point to a grieved community which considers the mining firm as one which distances itself fromits neighbours. The study, therefore, serves as a quest to awaken the overseers of the country’s mining laws and policies.
Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, local communities, multinational mines, public relations