Indigenous Peoples, the Environment and Law

This book provides a rich perspective on the intersection of indigenous peoples and the law, particularly within environmental law and international environmental law, emphasizing themes that are increasingly prominent on the agenda of the international community. In the anthology, twenty-three articles are collected that address significant conflicts with an interdisciplinary vantage point, where the interests of indigenous peoples and environmental law are closely intertwined. It analyses biodiversity, traditional knowledge, the responsibility of multinational corporations, and restitution.

Sixteen of the selections provide a comparative perspective on the conflicts and issues involving indigenous peoples arising in specific countries. From the fragile environment of the Arctic, to sacred sites and water in the United States, the diversity of indigenous peoples is explored within the context of governance, natural resources and conflict resolution. From native Hawaiians to the Sami of Scandinavia, selected themes parallel and contrast with one another in concert with the quest for survival in Bolivia, Guatemala, the Philippines and Russia. At the same time, the relationship of indigenous peoples to nature and the struggle for identity are common themes in virtually all of the selections. Case studies, drawing on anthropology and history, in addition to law, combined with several more conceptual contributions, provide a mosaic that places indigenous peoples in both a comparative and international context. In addition, Watters includes several articles that explore trends in convergence and globalization, which have especially important ramifications for indigenous peoples.

"Each article stands on its own as a significant scholarly contribution and the diversity of authors necessarily lends a unique flavor and perspective to the subject… almost all of the selections are recent and therefore timely… [T]hey are drawn from an excellent group of journals that remain in the forefront in scholarship" — Brian Myers, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review

"Indigenous People, the Environment and Law…provides an invaluable onestop resource for seasoned scholars seeking a holistic look at this important topic and for relative newcomers to the subject seeking a broad introduction… an important contribution to the scholarly field at a crucial time" — Sean T. McAllister, UCLA Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

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