Latin American Indigenous Geographies of Fear: Living in the Shadow of Racism, Lack of Development, and Antiterror Measures

Abstract

U.S.-dominated geographies of fear after 11 September 2001 represent indigenous peoples as potential security threats and destabilizing influences on Latin American nation-states. This article contextualizes these narratives by outlining the geographies of fear to which Latin American indigenous populations have been subjected in nation-building, resulting in restricted development opportunities and insecure livelihoods. As recent neoliberal development restructures indigenous rights, indigenous geographies of hope remain only unevenly realized. Yet, as a proclaimed alternative to development, postdevelopment approaches only partially capture the nature of indigenous geographies of hope. By critically evaluating neoliberal and postdevelopment approaches, the article ends by outlining the specific perspective geography brings to development.