CONTESTED ENTITLEMENTS OF INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

Vikalp Raj; Shamsher Alam

doi:10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i1.2024.5593

Authors

Vikalp Raj Department of Contemporary and Tribal Customary Law, Central University of Jharkhand.
Shamsher Alam Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies, Central University of Jharkhand.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i1.2024.5593

Keywords:

Indigenous Sovereignty, Free, Prior and Informed Consent, Indigenous Peoples, Undrip, International Law

Abstract [English]

This research article explores the persistent challenges and structural limitations indigenous peoples encounter in asserting their rights within the domain of international law. Central to this inquiry is the critical assessment of the disjunction between the rights claimed by indigenous communities and the recognition of those rights under prevailing international legal regimes. The study centres on the concept of indigenous sovereignty as its primary analytic focus, examining both its historical underpinnings and its evolving interpretations in contemporary legal discourse. It investigates how the contested nature of sovereignty in global politics complicates the recognition of indigenous self-governance, particularly in contexts where state sovereignty is prioritised over pluralistic legal orders. Drawing on legal instruments, international declarations, and comparative case analyses, the sheds light on the ways in which international law continues to fall short in addressing the full spectrum of indigenous aspirations. Rather than treating international legal frameworks as static, the paper considers them as sites of negotiation, contestation, and potential transformation. In doing so, it contributes to ongoing debates around legal pluralism, the decolonisation of law, and the future of indigenous legal recognition. Ultimately, the research advocates for a more inclusive and responsive international legal order - one that not only acknowledges indigenous rights in principle but also enables their meaningful realisation in practice. Through this effort, the study seeks to enrich scholarly and policy-oriented discussions on indigenous justice, global legal equity, and the transformative possibilities of international human rights law.

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