Alternative Spaces > Research Components > Indigenous Peoples

An Established Alternative Space

Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations

Senior research project by adjunct professor (adj.) Jens Dahl , former dir. IWGIA 

A New Intercultural Platform 

The project will analyse how indigenous peoples from various parts of the world have joined together and established a new global and intercultural platform for dialogue within the United Nations.

The Concept of Indigenous Peoples

The concept of indigenous peoples is highly contested by researchers and governments. Several have refuted the concept from an academic point of view and disputed the legitimacy of the concept as used by those who claim indigenousness (Kuper 2003). Others link the concept to the development of identity, to historical developments and to peoples' right of self-representation (Friedman 1996; Hodgson 2002). Governments, first of all in Asia and Africa, accuse those groups who claim indigenousness as promoting ethnic conflicts.

A New Political Space Within the United Nations

In spite of direct opposition from many governments, indigenous peoples worldwide have established for themselves a new political space within the United Nations (Dahl 2004; Muehlebach 2002; Niezen 2003; Tauli-Corpuz 2004). Prominent is the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the informal ‘indigenous caucus' operating under all UN meetings. Without day-to-day restrictions from their own communities and without immediate governmental control, indigenous peoples have gained wide respect for their cause and have broken up traditional positions among themselves and among governments.

A New Agenda

The project will analyse cases where mutual trust has been created, because dialogue takes place with reference to the alternative space that has created its own legitimacy. Those under pressure have managed to set an agenda to which all others have to relate in order to have a trans-cultural dialogue.