Shifting boundaries : aboriginal identity, pluralist theory, and the politics of self-government / Tim Schouls.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schouls, Timothy A.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Indians of North America--Canada--Politics and government.

Indians of North America.

Indigenous peoples--Canada--Politics and government.

Indigenous peoples.

Indians of North America--Legal status, laws, etc--Canada.

Indigenous peoples--Legal status, laws, etc--Canada.

Indians of North America--Canada--Ethnic identity.

Indigenous peoples--Canada--Ethnic identity.

Cultural pluralism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (241 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Vancouver : UBC Press, c2003.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Canada is often called a pluralist state, but few commentators view Aboriginal self-government from the perspective of political pluralism. Instead, Aboriginal identity is framed in terms of cultural and national traits, while self-government is taken to represent an Aboriginal desire to protect those traits. Shifting Boundaries challenges this view, arguing that it fosters a woefully incomplete understanding of the politics of self-government. Taking the position that a relational theory of pluralism offers a more accurate interpretation, Tim Schouls contends that self-government is better understood when an "identification" perspective on Aboriginal identity is adopted instead of a "cultural" or "national" one. He shows that self-government is not about preserving cultural and national differences as goods in and of themselves, but rather is about equalizing current imbalances in power to allow Aboriginal peoples to construct their own identities. In focusing on relational pluralism, Shifting Boundaries adds an important perspective to existing theoretical approaches to Aboriginal self-government. It will appeal to academics, students, and policy analysts interested in Aboriginal governance, cultural studies, political theory, nationalism studies, and constitutional theory.

Contents:

Front Matter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Identity Politics and Pluralist Theory

Approaches to Aboriginal Identity

Aboriginal Culture, Nation, and the Politics of Difference

Aboriginal Women, Youth, and the Priority of Individual Choice

Aboriginal Boundaries and the Demand for External Equality

Aboriginal Identity and the Desire for Internal Equality

Aboriginal Self-Government and the Politics of Pluralism

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [206]-215) and index.

ISBN:

1-283-33064-4

9786613330642

0-7748-5194-5

OCLC:

166335060