“(Not) Gonna Dig”: Mapping Controversies in the Anthropocene Era of Lithium Extraction in Serbia

Since its revitalization in 2023, Rio Tinto’s (a British-Australian multinational company) plan to open a lithium mine in Serbia’s Jadar region has sparked extensive public debate. The project’s status, implementation, and justifications by authorities and the corporation have triggered conflicting reactions, ranging from concerns over the energy and economic colonization of Serbia to fears of environmental damage. These controversies arise within the context of radical uncertainty characteristic of the Anthropocene, where unpredictable energy transitions and metabolic interdependencies shape new geosocial conflicts, particularly around extractive practices. Additionally, these debates, situated at the intersection of politics and science, unfold through digital platforms, amplifying public engagement. This paper draws on Latour’s discussions of Gaia and the politicization of science, alongside digital sociology’s focus on the relationship between technology and knowledge. It employs controversy mapping as a digital method to untangle the complex web of events, protests, documents, and research surrounding the lithium mine debate, focusing on developments since the summer of 2023 and using a large digital dataset. The mapping process follows several steps: first, it identifies key statements and constructs a “tree of disagreement” about the project (what); next, it links these statements to their respective actors (who); then, it visualizes networks of alliances and oppositions between actors (how). The broader goal is to situate these networks within the larger context of meta-controversies related to the Anthropocene, particularly resource sovereignty (where), and to trace the evolution of these debates over time, highlighting when certain arguments become dominant and when the debate intensifies (when).