The killing of social activists is one particularly dramatic form of violent repression against social activists, with severe consequences for the social movements and local communities confronted with such targeted use of force. While reports by NGOs frequently highlight the role of international trade and multinational corporations, existing research mainly focuses on national-level causes and subnational dynamics in explaining the occurrence and frequency of activist killings. To fill this gap, Fenja Heinrichs, Christin Stühlen and Jonas Wolff explore the different ways in which the transnational flow of resources and the activities of external actors — multinational corporations as well as states and international organizations — contribute to causing the killing of social activists.
To this end, they review existing academic studies and policy reports: Drawing on the fragmented empirical evidence in existing academic studies, policy reports, and news coverage, complemented by quantitative analysis and in-depth regional case studies, the report identifies a set of consistent patterns. The quantitative evidence generally confirms the role of the global political economy in this extreme form of violent action against social activists, highlighting resource- and land-intensive sectors, and the disproportionate targeting of indigenous peoples as well as activists defending land rights as victims. Furthermore, data shows that a significant share of the killings of human rights defenders concern activists challenging business practices, including those of multinational corporations. Four case studies in Colombia, Honduras, Indonesia and The Philippines give further insight into how exactly external actors contribute to anti-activist violence. While in a limited number of emblematic cases, companies or executives were also directly involved in sponsoring or commissioning killings, transnationally operating corporations tend to be implicated in activist killings in indirect ways.
Research for this publication was conducted within the framework of the research project Violence against Social Activists: Causes, Patterns, and Transformations. The project is part of the Research Center Transformations of Political Violence, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
Heinrichs, Fenja; Stühlen, Christin; Wolff, Jonas (2026): The Global Political Economy in Local Violence: Exploring the Role of Corporations, Trade and Loans in the Killings of Social Activists, PRIF Report, 1, Frankfurt/M. DOI: 10.48809/prifrep2601
ISBN: 978-3-911092-06-7
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