Alone, together: how politics and international relations compel and maintain asymmetrical power relationships between the indigenous peoples of Latin America and other actors
Date
2022
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Contemporary politics and fluid international relations are fundamentally reshaping Latin America from both inside and out. From extensive foreign investments and rejection of neoliberal intervention to student protests and new waves of democratization and economic development, Latin America has never been so important to study. While many of these trends are positive in the aggregate, previous evidence suggests that the indigenous communities of Latin America may not only be left out of these positive developments but may also in fact experience a number of newfound challenges with profound consequences. How have contemporary politics and international relations affected indigenous communities in Latin America? ☐ To answer this question, this dissertation project fundamentally studies contemporary asymmetric power relations between indigenous communities and other politically relevant actors in Latin America. These relations are considered in the context of indigenous languages, and in relation to how power dynamics influence the rights, representation, and preponderance of speakers of indigenous languages in Latin America—as well as the politics of language more generally. The primary aim of this project is to identify and explain the ongoing processes that perpetuate the asymmetry between government and indigenous groups across Latin America. ☐ My dissertation demonstrates evidence for the adverse effects of contemporary international relations and domestic politics on indigenous language and indigenous rights in Latin America. Yet, I also identify several important political factors that offset these trends in the areas of indigenous sovereignty rights and indigenous protest movements. Altogether, these findings have thereby helped to identify and explain the political factors that can perpetuate or offset power asymmetries between governments and indigenous communities across Latin America.
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Keywords
Asymmetrical power relationships, Indigenous peoples, Latin America