Indigenous People and Perspectives in Latin American: Final Report

Abstract

The review examines CBR in Latin America regarding indigenous people and indigenous perspectives around the core themes of democracy, water governance and sustainability. In Latin America as a result of decades of continuous political activity and in the name of democracy indigenous populations have been recognised with an active political role without having to abandon their cultural identity (Korovkin, 2001) to the point that it has also become a tool of power to change existing structures. In addition, it is argued that the current political participation of indigenous peoples in Latin American constitutes the development of postliberal citizens (Jorge Hernandez Díaz, 2010). Within this context CBR involving indigenous people and indigenous perspectives in Latin America frequently refers to the idea of recovering indigenous identities and discourses that intend to subvert systems that still serve privileged and white social classes over indigenous people. It is in this context that CBR, encompassed by universities and intellectuals committed to alter the current dynamics, develops and shapes social initiatives. Within the CBR framework indigenous peoples are visible actors who possess perspectives that are part of a culture that can offer solutions to environmental issues created by the ‘other.