What kind of governance for what kind of equity? Towards a theorization of justice in water governance

This article critically reviews literatures related to the core concepts of this special issue: water and hydrosocial relations; water governance and spatial scale; and equity, justice and rights. It argues that only by viewing water and society as simultaneously social and natural can we address both ecological governance and environmental justice. It argues that the institutional arrangements we employ for governing water must address issues of democratization, human welfare and ecological conditions. The article illustrates these arguments with reference to the social and environmental effects of mining activity and associated water contamination on the Bolivian Altiplano.