Rethinking Security and Sovereignty from Indigenous Borderlands: Evidence from the Amazon

Abstract Book of the 11th International Conference on Modern Research in Social Sciences

Year: 2026

[PDF]

Rethinking Security and Sovereignty from Indigenous Borderlands: Evidence from the Amazon

Nicole Dalmiglio

ABSTRACT:

This paper examines the limits of conventional notions of security and sovereignty in International Relations through the analysis of Indigenous territories in the Amazon, with a focus on the Alto Rio Negro and the Javari Valley. These border regions are approached not only as sites of territorial dispute, but as spaces where competing meanings of security and legitimate authority are produced and contested. While state-centered approaches associate security with territorial control and the defense of national sovereignty, Indigenous perspectives frame it in terms of care, territorial continuity, and the reproduction of collective life. In this context, Indigenous communities face a dual dynamic of insecurity shaped by the expansion of transnational illicit economies and the intensification of state securitization practices within their territories. Drawing on qualitative methods, including document analysis and semi-structured interviews conducted during fieldwork, the paper explores how Indigenous actors articulate alternative practices of governance and protection. Engaging with critical security studies, the analysis challenges the state’s monopoly over the definition and provision of security and argues for the recognition of plural security regimes. By foregrounding Indigenous experiences, the paper contributes to broader debates on sovereignty, borders, and political authority in International Relations.

Keywords: Amazon; Indigenous Sovereignty; International Security; Securitization; Territorial Governance