Abstract

Provocative and original, The Politics of Indigeneity explores the concept of indigeneity across the world - from the Americas to New Zealand, Africa to Asia - and the ways in which it intersects with local, national and international social and political realities. Taking on the role of critical interlocutors, the authors engage in extended dialogue with indigenous spokespersons and activists, as well as between each other. In doing so, they explore the possibilities of a 'second-wave indigeneity' - one that is alert to the challenges posed to indigenous aspirations by the neo-liberal agenda of nation-states and their concerns with sovereignty. Timely and topical in its focus on global indigenous politics, and featuring a variety of first-hand indigenous voices - including those of indigenous activists, scholars, leaders and interviewees - this is a vital contribution to an often contentious topic.
Sita Venkateswar is Director, International in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Senior Lecturer in the Social Anthropology programme at Massey University. Her ethnography Development and Ethnocide: Colonial Practices in the Andaman Islands is based on her PhD fieldwork in the Andaman Islands from 1989-1992. She has since been involved in research on child labour in Nepal and poverty and grassroots democracy in Kolkata, India. She is currently involved in exploring indigenous politics related to climate change as well as questions of displacement and belonging in relation to refugee resettlement in New Zealand and Europe. Emma Hughes spent several years living in Egypt and working with women's rights groups in Egypt and East Africa where she was involved with development and advocacy projects addressing women’s rights issues. In New Zealand she worked firstly for the Centre for Indigenous Governance and Development at Massey University, and currently as a research adviser. As a visiting research scholar at the American University in Cairo in 2008 she returned to Egypt to document the Nubian case.
'What is indigeneity? How should it be articulated? How does one make it matter? 'The Politics of Indigeneity' is a bold and a challenging book. Multi layered and thought provoking it constantly forces the reader to re-engage and recalibrate, re-think and re-articulate assumptions and notions about many things including, importantly, indigeneity itself - a must read!' - Pankaj Sekhsaria, author of 'Troubled Islands' and editor of the Jarawa Tribal Reserve Dossier. 'This book is based on an engagement with indigenous peoples across the globe, which starts with listening to what they have to say on the subject. The authors do ask questions, occasionally challenge, but with respect and sensitivity and thus an attitude so different from underlying mainstream academic discourses in which the claim of objectivity too often is but a disguise for arrogance.' - Dr Christian Erni, Social Anthropologist, International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs 'This path breaking volume exploring the exciting emergence of a new ''second wave" of indigeneity and activism is a must read for all those interested in contemporary indigenous politics.' - Jeff Sluka, Associate Professor, Social Anthropology Programme, Massey University