Consultation, Equity, and Community Voice: Applying the Principle of Shūrā to Mining and Natural Resource Governance
Mining has long generated profound environmental, social, and economic consequences, often exacerbating inequality and marginalizing the very communities most affected by resource extraction. While decades of stakeholder engagement and corporate social responsibility efforts have sought to balance competing interests, recent discourse has shifted from notions of mutual benefit toward a stronger emphasis on equity, justice, and meaningful participation. As automation and technological advancement further threaten community inclusion, the limitations of existing consultation frameworks have become increasingly apparent. This article explores the Islamic principle of Shūrā (consultation) as a normative and ethical lens through which community participation in the mining sector can be reimagined. By examining Shūrā’s core principles of equality, collective deliberation, representation, and shared responsibility, the paper offers insights into how consultation processes can be strengthened to ensure fairer, more inclusive, and more sustainable outcomes—both within natural resource governance and beyond.
