From Colonialism to Neocolonialism: The Ongoing Struggle for Indigenous Rights
Del Colonialismo al Neocolonialismo: La Larga Lucha por los Derechos Indígenas
Keywords:
Neocolonialism, Indigenous rights, Land dispossession, Decolonial theory, Cultural sovereigntyAbstract
This article critically examines the continuity between historical colonialism and contemporary neocolonial practices, focusing on their impact on Indigenous rights across Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. Through comparative analysis of land dispossession, resource extraction, and political marginalization, the study reveals how neocolonial economic and political structures perpetuate Indigenous disenfranchisement despite formal legal protections. Employing postcolonial theory and Indigenous epistemologies, the research highlights Indigenous resistance strategies that challenge state and corporate dominance while reclaiming cultural sovereignty and territorial autonomy. The novelty of this work lies in bridging historical and contemporary frameworks to understand Indigenous struggles as part of a persistent colonial legacy shaped by globalization. This article contributes to debates on decolonial justice, sovereignty, and the role of Indigenous movements in reshaping national and international human rights agendas.
Este artículo examina críticamente la continuidad entre el colonialismo histórico y las prácticas neocoloniales contemporáneas, enfocándose en su impacto sobre los derechos indígenas en América Latina, África y Oceanía. Mediante un análisis comparativo de la desposesión territorial, la extracción de recursos y la marginación política, el estudio revela cómo las estructuras económicas y políticas neocoloniales perpetúan el despojo indígena a pesar de las protecciones legales formales. Empleando la teoría poscolonial y epistemologías indígenas, la investigación destaca las estrategias de resistencia indígena que desafían el dominio estatal y corporativo, recuperando la soberanía cultural y la autonomía territorial. La novedad de este trabajo radica en articular marcos históricos y contemporáneos para comprender las luchas indígenas como parte de un legado colonial persistente moldeado por la globalización. Este artículo aporta a los debates sobre justicia descolonial, soberanía y el papel de los movimientos indígenas en la redefinición de agendas nacionales e internacionales de derechos humanos.
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