Abstract

This paper examines the cultural, political, and ecological dimensions of resource extraction through the lens of 
environmental humanities, focusing on oil and mining industries and their relationship to environmental sacrifice 
zones. It explores how extraction is not merely an economic activity but a socio-ecological and cultural process 
shaped by narratives, infrastructures, technologies, and power relations. Drawing on concepts from political 
ecology, extractivism, environmental justice, and critical geography, the study analyzes the ways in which 
extraction narratives construct value while simultaneously producing environmental degradation, social 
inequalities, and spatially concentrated harms. Through discussions of oil histories, mining landscapes, material 
imaginaries, vocal ecologies, and environmental injustices, the paper highlights the experiences of communities 
affected by extraction and the contestations surrounding sovereignty, risk, and resistance. The interdisciplinary 
framework combines ethnography, narrative analysis, archival research, and Geographic Information Systems 
(GIS) to reveal how knowledge, power, and environmental impacts intersect across extractive frontiers. By 
examining case studies from diverse regional contexts, the paper demonstrates how extraction generates enduring 
social and ecological legacies that extend beyond the life cycle of commodities. Ultimately, it argues for ethically 
responsible approaches that prioritize environmental justice, community voices, historical accountability, and 
reconciliation in addressing the unequal burdens and benefits of extractive industries.