Water-energy nexus in Algeria: the government water discourse and the role of the hydrocarbon sector

Benyovszky, S. (2025) Water-energy nexus in Algeria: the government water discourse and the role of the hydrocarbon sector. PhD thesis, University of Reading. doi: 10.48683/1926.00123679

Abstract/Summary

This thesis examines how Algeria's hydrocarbon sector shapes the country’s water-pollution policies, focusing on the interplay between water governance and energy priorities. It asks: How is water framed by the Algerian government, and how does the hydrocarbon sector shape this framing? In Algeria, despite the government’s proclaimed commitment to clean water since the 2000s, state’s reliance on hydrocarbons and its recent push for unconventional resource extraction highlight a paradox: while significant resources are allocated to ensuring safe water, these efforts are undermined by policies that exacerbate water pollution. Grounded in the concepts of the politics of scale and framing, this research uses El Harrach— a highly polluted urban area in Algiers—as a case study to examine the disconnect between policy intentions and implementation, highlighting how hydrocarbon-driven priorities influence water governance outcomes. The first paper critically engages with the politics of scale, highlighting how colonial legacies have shaped scalar systems and governance structures in Algeria. It demonstrates the coexistence of formal state-based scales and subaltern scalar systems rooted in ancestral narratives, emphasizing the need to decolonize scalar epistemologies to account for non-Western experiences. The second paper applies the water-energy nexus framework to analyse Algeria’s disconnected governance, where water and energy sectors are managed in isolation. This disconnection has led to ineffective water management practices, illustrating how sectoral silos hinder progress toward sustainability and amplify the challenges posed by resource dependence. The third paper uses frame analysis to uncover how the Algerian government positions water issues within its policy discourse. It reveals that while water is officially framed as a national priority, hydrocarbons dominate the state’s economic strategy. As a result, water policies are often reactive, driven by social stability concerns rather than long-term ecological goals, leaving municipal-level governance, such as in El Harrach, poorly equipped to address pollution challenges. The fourth paper reflects on the ethics of conducting research in the Global South. Drawing on personal experiences and decolonial theory, it critiques the bureaucratic constraints of Western academic ethics protocols and argues for methodologies that are sensitive to local realities and power dynamics. By integrating qualitative research methods, including interviews and focus groups, alongside media monitoring and policy document analysis, this thesis contributes to the political geography literature by linking framing with the politics of scale to reveal the socio-political dynamics of resource management in rentier states. These findings underscore the dominance of hydrocarbon interests over water concerns, highlighting the need for integrated, equity-focused approaches to governance in fossil-fuel-dependent regions.

Item Type	Thesis (PhD)
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/123679
Identification Number/DOI	10.48683/1926.00123679
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science
Date on Title Page	December 2024
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