Tribal Nations and Limitary Concepts: Examining the Dimensions and Limitations of Sovereignty and Autonomy

Abstract

As demonstrated by the expansion of Indigenous academic scholarship in the past few decades, Indigenous theorists are evaluating the implementation of sovereignty as an effective process to protect and expand the political and cultural authorities of Tribal Nations. Recently, the concept of autonomy has entered the evaluation. Sovereignty is generally understood as absolute political authority, autonomy as self-government. Depending upon their orientation towards these concepts, this thesis categorizes the works of Indigenous scholars into four schools of thought: the re-conceptualists, rejectionist, rejection-conceptualists, and the revolutionary-conceptualist. Using these categories, this thesis examines the dimensions and limitations of the concepts of sovereignty and autonomy as applied to Tribal Nations. This thesis demonstrates that the practical implications of sovereignty are limited by the dominant colonial discourse and that autonomy is inadequate to provide Tribal Nations with liberation from colonialism. In conclusion, this thesis provides recommendations for Tribal Nations based on the revolutionary-conceptualist thought.