Mapping Trends and Challenges in Political Science Research in Indigenous Policy and Politics (2019-2023)

Abstract

What are the trends and challenges for political science research on Indigenous policy and politics? The present paper aims to answer this question through a critical reading of articles published in specialized journals between 2019 and 2023. The study highlights four main axes of research on Indigenous politics: 1) The relationship between Indigenous peoples and nation-states; 2) Indigenous activism and struggles for territorial, cultural, and environmental rights; 3) The impact of large construction sites on Indigenous territories; and 4) Critical engagement with Western political theory. Conclusions point to epistemic avenues for interested researchers to explore in-depth in future studies: 1) The importance of broadening the scope of sources for more fruitful comparative analyses; 2) The urgency to decolonize political theory; and 3) The imperative of methodological diversification and rigor.