Restructuring Relations

Indigenous Self-Determination, Governance, and Gender

Rauna Kuokkanen

Provides a new theory of Indigenous self-determination
Breaks new ground not just in terms of its feminist approach but also in terms of its broad, comparative study of Indigenous political institutions at international and national levels
Critically interrogates normative conceptions of Indigenous self-determination and the structures of Indigenous self-government institutions
Includes a feminist analysis of indigenous political institutions and their gender regimes

Restructuring Relations

Indigenous Self-Determination, Governance, and Gender

Rauna Kuokkanen

Description

Adopted in 2007, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples establishes self-determination--including free, prior, and informed consent--as a foundational right and principle. Self-determination, both individual and collective, is among the most important and pressing issues for Indigenous women worldwide. Yet Indigenous women's interests have been overlooked in the formulation of Indigenous self-government, and existing studies of Indigenous self-government largely ignore issues of gender. As such, the current literature on Indigenous governance conceals patriarchal structures and power that create barriers for women to resources and participation in Indigenous societies.

Drawing on Indigenous and feminist political and legal theory--as well as extensive participant interviews in Canada, Greenland, and Scandinavia-- this book argues that the current rights discourse and focus on Indigenous-state relations is too limited in scope to convey the full meaning of "self-determination" for Indigenous peoples. The book conceptualizes self-determination as a foundational value informed by the norm of integrity and suggests that Indigenous self-determination cannot be achieved without restructuring all relations of domination nor can it be secured in the absence of gender justice. As a foundational value, self-determination seeks to restructure all relations of domination, not only hegemonic relations with the state. Importantly, it challenges the opposition between "self-determination" and "gender" created and maintained by international law, Indigenous political discourse, and Indigenous institutions. Restructuring relations of domination further entails examining the gender regimes present in existing Indigenous self-government institutions, interrogating the relationship between Indigenous self-determination and gender violence, and considering future visions of Indigenous self-determination, such as rematriation of Indigenous governance and an independent statehood.

Restructuring Relations

Indigenous Self-Determination, Governance, and Gender

Rauna Kuokkanen

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Self-Determination: Foundational Value
Chapter 2 - Indigenous Self-Government Structures in Canada, Greenland, and Sápmi
Chapter 3 - Implementing Indigenous Self-Determination: Self-Administration, Rematriation, or Independence?
Chapter 4 - Gendering Indigenous Self-Government
Chapter 5 - Self-Determination and Violence against Indigenous Women
Chapter 6 - Indigenous Gender Justice as Restructuring Relations
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Restructuring Relations

Indigenous Self-Determination, Governance, and Gender

Rauna Kuokkanen

Author Information

Rauna Kuokkanen is Professor of Arctic Indigenous Politics at University of Lapland (Finland) and Associate Professor of Political Science & Indigenous Studies at University of Toronto. She is the author of Reshaping the University: Responsibility, Indigenous Epistemes, and the Logic of the Gift.

Restructuring Relations

Indigenous Self-Determination, Governance, and Gender

Rauna Kuokkanen

Reviews and Awards

Winner of the BISA Susan Strange Best Book Prize
Winner of the Canadian Political Science Association's Best Book in Comparative Politics Award

"The empirical breadth of the book is particularly welcome, as the history and nature of indigenous politics-and especially the experiences of women-is rarely given critical attention in a comparative context outside of particular (often Anglo) colonial experiences. The book offers an important corrective to state-centered visions of self-determination, while documenting both the struggles of indigenous women against internalized patriarchal governance structures and institutions, and their productive work establishing alternatives centered in indigenous values." -- C. J. MacKenzie, University of Lethbridge, Choice

"Kuokkanen's work is a critical intervention by one of our most important Indigenous feminist scholars into the growing canon on Indigenous self-determination and self-government, one that illuminates Indigenous feminism's legitimacy, significance and relevance for self-determination and self-government." -- Joyce Green, Canadian Journal of Political Science

"This book appears as a genuine contribution." -- Jodi Bruhn, Director, Stratéjuste Canada, The Review of Politics

"In this book, Rauna Kuokkanen takes on an ambitious project that manages to contribute to and expand multiple disciplinary subfields at the same time. On the whole, this book marks exceptional developments in and for political science. One of the greatest contributions of this book is the way in which Kuokkanen provides a meaningful platform to elevate the voices of her participants in articulating indigenous perspectives on gender, in light of the related inability of our existing political institutions to reflect those perspectives. Her work is thought provoking, insightful, and relevant now more than ever." -- Perspectives on Politics

"A much-needed study of gender's intersection with the struggles to realize Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty. Rauna Kuokkanen offers an international comparative study that centers gender as an analytical tool, for there is no possibility for Indigenous liberation without gender justice."-Jennifer Denetdale (Diné), University of New Mexico

"This is the leading book for understanding the importance of gender justice for self-determination in the international sphere. This book sets the standard against which other works will be measured."-John Borrows, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law, University of Victoria Law School

"Kuokkanen's brilliant work is original and cutting edge, providing a much-needed intellectual, epistemological, and political intervention in multiple fields as it challenges the segregation of knowledge production. This innovative, comparative study provides a robust feminist interrogation of self-determination models based on limited normative frameworks of state recognition. As an alternative, it features how Indigenous woman are working at fundamentally restructuring relations in society, mainstream and Indigenous alike, in decolonial ways that are ethically committed to the integrity of the land and peoplehood free from violent domination."-J. Kehaulani Kauanui, Professor of American Studies and affiliate faculty in Anthropology, Wesleyan University

In this groundbreaking work, Kuokkanen provides a critical feminist perspective that highlights the importance of considering gender in the discourse and practice of indigenous self-determination. The book offers an important corrective to state-centered visions of self-determination, while documenting both the struggles of indigenous women against internalized patriarchal governance structures and institutions, and their productive work establishing alternatives centered in indigenous values." -- C. J. MacKenzie, University of Lethbridge, CHOICE