Governing water insecurity: navigating indigenous water rights and regulatory politics in settler colonial states

Nicole J. Wilson, Teresa Montoya, Rachel Arseneault, Andrew Curley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

53 Scopus citations

Abstract

Indigenous peoples experience water insecurity disproportionately. There are many parallels between the injustices experienced by racialized and marginalized populations and Indigenous peoples. However, the water insecurity experienced by Indigenous peoples is distinctly shaped by settler colonialism. This article draws on examples from Canada and the United States to illustrate how jurisdictional and regulatory injustices along with the broader political and economic asymmetries advanced by settler colonial States (re-)produce water insecurity for Indigenous peoples. We conclude by engaging with how Indigenous peoples are pushing back against these arrangements using State and non-State strategies by revitalizing Indigenous knowledge and governance systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)783-801
Number of pages19
JournalWater International
Volume46
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Keywords

  • Canada
  • Indigenous water governance
  • Navajo Nation
  • United States
  • settler colonialism
  • sovereignty
  • water contamination
  • water insecurity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Water Science and Technology
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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