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Globalized conflicts, globalized responses. Changing manners of contestation among indigenous communities

Abstract:

In a globalized world, environmental conflicts affecting indigenous communities (including hunter-gatherer groups) have intensified and grown in their transnational character. These changes have affected the choice of manners of contestation of these groups, favouring in some cases the emergence of alternative responses based on the use of new technologies and scientifically gathered evidence. In this chapter, we examine these interlinked changes, describing also - through two case studies- an emerging methodology of scientific enquiry that aims to enable indigenous communities to lead scientific activities and confront conflicts through a truly bottom-up approach. The chapter ends discussing how, despite the potential of such new manners of contestation, the power imbalances that currently underpin many indigenous conflicts are first to be addressed.