Toward Sustainable Self-Determination: Rethinking the Contemporary Indigenous-Rights Discourse
Abstract
More than eighty years since Chief Deskaheh petitioned the League of Nations for Haudenosaunee self-determination, it is becoming clearer that the existing rights discourse can take indigenous peoples only so far. States and global/regional forums have framed self-determination rights that deemphasize the responsibilities and relationships that indigenous peoples have with their families and the natural world (homelands, plant life, animal life, etc.) that are critical for the health and well-being of future generations. What is needed is a more holistic and dynamic approach to regenerating indigenous nations, and I propose the concept of sustainable self-determination as a benchmark for future indigenous political mobilization. Utilizing case studies of indigenous community regeneration such as the Native Federation of Madre de Dios (FENAMAD) in Peru and the White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP) on Turtle Island as well as analyzing the existing research on rights, political mobilization, and ecosystems, this article identifies alternatives to the existing rights discourse that can facilitate a meaningful and sustainable self-determination process for indigenous peoples around the world. Overall, findings from this research offer theoretical and applied understandings for regenerating indigenous nationhood and restoring sustainable relationships on indigenous homelands.
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Corntassel positions responsibilities and relationships at the core of Indigenous self-determination.
“Corntassel positions responsibilities and relationships at the core of Indigenous self-determination.”
From “Indigenizing” Food Sovereignty. Revitalizing Indigenous Food Practices and Ecological Knowledges in Canada and the United States (2016) · cites this paper as [42]
Within a sustainable self-determination framework, emphasis is placed on decolonization and restoration that connects political autonomy, governance, the environment, and community health.
“Within a sustainable self-determination framework, emphasis is placed on decolonization and restoration that connects political autonomy, governance, the environment, and community health.”
From “Indigenizing” Food Sovereignty. Revitalizing Indigenous Food Practices and Ecological Knowledges in Canada and the United States (2016) · cites this paper as [42]
The rights-based framework to date emphasizes sovereign state-political and legal recognitions of Indigenous rights, which ignores the cultural responsibilities and relationships Indigenous peoples have with their environments, and that have sustained their cultures.
“The rights-based framework to date emphasizes the sovereign state-political and legal recognitions of indigenous rights-which ignores the cultural responsibilities and relationships indigenous peoples have with their environments, and that have sustained their cultures.”
From hishuk’ish tsawalk—Everything is One. Revitalizing Place-Based Indigenous Food Systems through the Enactment of Food Sovereignty (2019) · cites this paper as Corntassel, 2008
Corntassel contends that in order to de-colonize, Indigenous peoples need to direct change from within and through action and policy toward becoming sustainable, self-determining nations.
“In order to de-colonize, he contends, indigenous peoples need to direct change from within and through action and policy toward becoming sustainable, selfdetermining nations.”
From hishuk’ish tsawalk—Everything is One. Revitalizing Place-Based Indigenous Food Systems through the Enactment of Food Sovereignty (2019) · cites this paper as Corntassel, 2008
Corntassel maintains that the existing rights discourse can only take Indigenous peoples so far.
“Corntassel maintains that the existing rights discourse can only take indigenous peoples so far.”
From hishuk’ish tsawalk—Everything is One. Revitalizing Place-Based Indigenous Food Systems through the Enactment of Food Sovereignty (2019) · cites this paper as Corntassel, 2008
For Indigenous peoples, sustainability is intrinsically linked to the transmission of traditional knowledge and cultural practices to future generations.
“For indigenous peoples, sustainability is intrinsically linked to the transmission of traditional knowledge and cultural practices to future generations.”
From hishuk’ish tsawalk—Everything is One. Revitalizing Place-Based Indigenous Food Systems through the Enactment of Food Sovereignty (2019) · cites this paper as Corntassel, 2008
Corntassel positions responsibilities and relationships at the core of Indigenous self-determination.
“Corntassel positions responsibilities and relationships at the core of indigenous self-determination.”
From hishuk’ish tsawalk—Everything is One. Revitalizing Place-Based Indigenous Food Systems through the Enactment of Food Sovereignty (2019) · cites this paper as Corntassel, 2008
Within a sustainable self-determination framework, emphasis is placed on de-colonization and restoration that connect political autonomy, governance, the environment, and community health.
“Within a sustainable self-determination framework, the emphasis is placed on de-colonization and restoration that connect political autonomy, governance, the environment, and community health.”
From hishuk’ish tsawalk—Everything is One. Revitalizing Place-Based Indigenous Food Systems through the Enactment of Food Sovereignty (2019) · cites this paper as Corntassel, 2008
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Coté, C. (2016) · Humanities · doi:10.3390/h5030057 · Cited by 272 · see citing works
“Corntassel maintains that “the existing rights discourse can only take indigenous peoples so far” through its emphasis on Settler state political and legal recognition of Indigenous rights, which ignores the cultural responsibilities and relationships -Indigenous peoples have with the land, water, plants, and animals…”
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Hossen, M. A., Netherton, C., Benson, D., Rahman, M. R., & Salehin, M. (2022) · Environmental Science & Policy · doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2022.08.028 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Coté, C. (2019) · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · doi:10.5304/jafscd.2019.09a.003 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“Corntassel’s (2008) notion of sustainable selfdetermination and the WGIFS’s definition of indigenous food sovereignty emphasize responsibility, mutuality, kinship, and relationships.”
BackgroundInfluential
- Authors
- Corntassel, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Victoria (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Corntassel, Jeff
- ORCID
- Corntassel, Jeff
- Venue
- Alternatives: Global, Local, Political
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2008-01
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 105-132
- ISSN
- 0304-3754 (ISSN-L)
- 2163-3150
- OpenAlex
- W2044839505
- Semantic Scholar
- 43a0d172ce523e197658bfd1255c59c9a8a8ba4b
- Cited by
- 311
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 75.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Alternatives Global Local Political (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Law › Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Law
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Indigenous Cultures and History
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Indigenous Studies in Latin America
- Keywords
- indigenous rights, indigenous political mobilization, Indigenous nationhood, Indigenous homelands, intergenerational well-being
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