Indigeneity, land and labour in Paraguay

Abstract This article is focused on the politics of indigeneity, which is an increasingly important concept and a central area of dispute in a globalised world. Indigeneity encapsulates the friction between ethnicity and class identities, which cannot be understood without a full consideration of di...

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Main Author: Antonio A. R. Ioris
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2024-02-01
Series:Discover Global Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-023-00023-7
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author Antonio A. R. Ioris
author_facet Antonio A. R. Ioris
author_sort Antonio A. R. Ioris
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This article is focused on the politics of indigeneity, which is an increasingly important concept and a central area of dispute in a globalised world. Indigeneity encapsulates the friction between ethnicity and class identities, which cannot be understood without a full consideration of differences and relationships between landowners, other economic sectors, non-indigenous workers and indigenous people. The text specifically deals with the circumstances of Paraguay, whose process of nation building is directly related to longitudinal attacks on its indigenous peoples and the unresolved problems of land, labour and rights. The case study investigates the long-term tendencies of Paraguayan society, in particular, the ongoing expansion of agribusiness and land grabbing in the northeast of the country that tragically affect the Paĩ Tavyterã indigenous people. The discussion is based on qualitative, engaged research over several years, which considered the indigenous population as co-investigators and active socio-political players. The conclusion is that, despite the fact that Paraguay is a major exporter of primary commodities, the prevailing geographical force is the accumulation of multiple forms of social, ecological and even economic degradation. Against those perverse trends, the important reaction of the Paĩ Tavyterã, as well as of other indigenous peoples, and their struggle to recover their land and socio-ecological relations greatly complicate national politics and challenge the hegemony of export-oriented agribusiness.
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spelling doaj.art-80741e1e97274eb78f2cb46fd2d1cfad2024-03-05T18:06:26ZengSpringerDiscover Global Society2731-96872024-02-01211910.1007/s44282-023-00023-7Indigeneity, land and labour in ParaguayAntonio A. R. Ioris0School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff UniversityAbstract This article is focused on the politics of indigeneity, which is an increasingly important concept and a central area of dispute in a globalised world. Indigeneity encapsulates the friction between ethnicity and class identities, which cannot be understood without a full consideration of differences and relationships between landowners, other economic sectors, non-indigenous workers and indigenous people. The text specifically deals with the circumstances of Paraguay, whose process of nation building is directly related to longitudinal attacks on its indigenous peoples and the unresolved problems of land, labour and rights. The case study investigates the long-term tendencies of Paraguayan society, in particular, the ongoing expansion of agribusiness and land grabbing in the northeast of the country that tragically affect the Paĩ Tavyterã indigenous people. The discussion is based on qualitative, engaged research over several years, which considered the indigenous population as co-investigators and active socio-political players. The conclusion is that, despite the fact that Paraguay is a major exporter of primary commodities, the prevailing geographical force is the accumulation of multiple forms of social, ecological and even economic degradation. Against those perverse trends, the important reaction of the Paĩ Tavyterã, as well as of other indigenous peoples, and their struggle to recover their land and socio-ecological relations greatly complicate national politics and challenge the hegemony of export-oriented agribusiness.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-023-00023-7Land conflictsAgribusinessPaĩ TavyterãGuarani-KaiowaIndigenous peoplesAgricultural frontier
spellingShingle Antonio A. R. Ioris
Indigeneity, land and labour in Paraguay
Discover Global Society
Land conflicts
Agribusiness
Paĩ Tavyterã
Guarani-Kaiowa
Indigenous peoples
Agricultural frontier
title Indigeneity, land and labour in Paraguay
title_full Indigeneity, land and labour in Paraguay
title_fullStr Indigeneity, land and labour in Paraguay
title_full_unstemmed Indigeneity, land and labour in Paraguay
title_short Indigeneity, land and labour in Paraguay
title_sort indigeneity land and labour in paraguay
topic Land conflicts
Agribusiness
Paĩ Tavyterã
Guarani-Kaiowa
Indigenous peoples
Agricultural frontier
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-023-00023-7
work_keys_str_mv AT antonioarioris indigeneitylandandlabourinparaguay