By Melanie Linares

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jeremy Larochelle

Abstract

Exploitation of natural resources, specifically lithium in the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia has been a persistent issue for decades affecting not only the cultural, economic and social aspects of the local inhabitants but also biodiversity and ecosystems. This study analyzes two recent novels, Flor de Sal by Susana López Rubio and Altiplano: Tumbos y Tropiezos by Alain-Paul Mallard, which explore the Salar as grounds for a sense of cultural belonging, memory, and human experience. Additionally, this study, through an ecocritical perspective, investigates how large corporate companies overlook the ecological and social consequences of natural resources for their own economic gain.