Indigenous Autonomy in Latin America: The Impact of the Indigenous Rights Revolution on the Study of Politics
The Indigenous Studies Network (ISN) at APSA invites you to join us for our second talk of the 2025 Indigenous Politics Series on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 via zoom at 12PM – 1PM Central Time.
Marcela Valesco and Curtis Kline will join us to discuss their 2025 article of the same name in the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics.
REGISTER HERE: https://ugeorgia.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_esXjljm9yxKScCi
Abstract: This paper asserts that critiques of political science for neglecting Indigenous politics highlight a critical gap that risks overlooking significant conceptual and practical innovations. It emphasizes how Indigenous autonomy claims challenge traditional notions of sovereignty. Scholars of Indigenous politics in Latin America, publishing in area studies journals, provide essential insights into these autonomy claims and contribute valuable perspectives to the discipline. We identify rigorous scholarly work in English language, peer-reviewed journals exploring Indigenous autonomy, conceptualizing it as a multifaceted notion that encompasses political visions, practices, and social movement agendas. Through a comprehensive meta-analysis of literature in Latin American area studies, we argue that this field offers four fundamental insights. First, Indigenous peoples deploy diverse strategies to assert their rights, positioning themselves as active citizens and political agents rather than passive groups. Second, the emergence of multicultural institutions that integrate individual and collective rights is fundamentally reshaping politics and citizenship, leading to innovative governance structures. Third, accumulation by dispossession remains a crucial driver of wealth creation, severely undermining Indigenous autonomy and degrading their environments. Finally, a renewed emphasis on Indigenous territorial autonomy decisively challenges conventional views of state sovereignty, as Indigenous peoples assert territorial and nonterritorial rights.