Indigenous Autonomy, Community-Based Research, and Development aid: Sumaq kawsay in three epistemic scenarios. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gonzales, Tirso; Husain, Matt
• Is Part Of: Alternative. Volume 12:issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 266
• Page End: 281
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: Indigenous community-based research -- development aid -- decoloniality -- epistemologies -- pluriversity -- autonomy -- heteronomy; Indigenous peoples -- Periodicals; Maori (New Zealand people) -- Periodicals; 305.8005
• DOI: 10.20507/AlterNative.2016.12.3.5
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1177-1801

Abstract

In this paper, the future of Indigenous autonomy and Indigenous community-based research is illustrated by analyzing re-Westernization, de-Westernization, and decoloniality in relation to the regeneration of the Indigenous glocal (global/local) concept of sumaq kawsay ("living well" in Quechua). The regeneration of sumaq kawsay as a new geopolitical and cultural polycentric and multipolar world is examined from an Indigenous studies decolonial perspective and an Indigenous Andean campesino (peasant) community-based perspective. Sumaq kawsay has encouraged an unexpected pan-Latin American perspective that supports decoloniality and its epistemic pluri-versity as an alternative scenario to "progress" and the business approach of development aid embedded within re-/de-Westernization.