Spence, Laura Elizabeth, authorPedrós-Gascón, Antonio F., advisorLopez-Cabrales, María del Mar, committee memberSaagás, Ernesto, committee member2007-01-032007-01-032013http://hdl.handle.net/10217/80317Text in Spanish; title page and abstract in Spanish and English.After gaining its independence from Spain in 1968 and the subsequent discovery of some of the largest offshore oil reserves in Africa in 1995, the socioeconomic reality of Equatorial Guinea has transformed dramatically in the past decades. Once considered an economically stagnant and politically corrupt country, today the Equatoguinean economy is categorized as one of the fastest growing in the world. Yet in spite of all these changes —that initially seem positive— the current political powers have perpetuated a state structure that hinders the great majority of the country’s population, creating a state of environmental injustice in which the Equatoguinean people suffer the consequences of the exploitation of their natural resources without the opportunity to benefit from the positive development that the hydrocarbon industry brings to the nation’s economy. The present investigation focuses on the factors that have contributed to this imbalance between social and economic sectors in Equatorial Guinea, and also how this “negative development” has affected the reality and identity of the nation’s people in modern times. This work will also highlight the evolution of the servile relationship between the Equatoguinean government, other international political entities, and the transnational oil corporations that have established themselves in the region, with special attention to the indifference that they have shown for the overall welfare of the Equatoguinean people. To conclude, I will consider the country’s possible future socioeconomic trajectory in light of all of this information, focusing primarily on its overall relevance in the field of Environmental Justice.born digitalmasters thesesspaCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.Guinea Ecuatorialcorporate colonizationText