Water and conflict : A case of hydropower, justice and water rights in Albania

Abstract: This thesis concerns the struggles related to a hydrosocial conflict prompted by the plan for hydropower development in the river Vjosa, Albania. Despite the controversial nature of hydropower, the quest for renewable energy has increased the interest in hydropower development globally. Renewables require a large amount of water, and the benefits are often reallocated to powerful players, which has caused concerns over water grabbing, power, justice, and rights. This study aims to examine the linked levels of contestation in the conflict over the hydrosocial territory of Vjosa, through legal and non-legal mechanisms. Further, the thesis uncovers underlying values and assumptions regarding the river and hydropower. For this purpose, the theoretical framework of political ecology and Echelons of rights are used. The echelons of rights are used to analyze the material, while political ecology is used as a lens for the overarching framework. The Political ecology lens on justice and territorialization contribute to enhanced understandings of the importance of social movements in contesting injustices and mismanagement of the environment. By interviewing social movements and domestic energy companies, as well as analyzing the environmental impact assessment, the results indicate that the understanding of the river and hydropower both differ and coincide, and how legal instruments do not only suppress people but can be used as a tool by social movements.