Is there a future for indigenous and local knowledge?
Erik Gómez‐Baggethun
Abstract
By the late twentieth century, many doubted whether Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) would survive the millennium, but a surge in their recognition and new insight on their resilience open new perspectives about their future. This paper examines historical drivers behind the loss of ILK and discusses possibilities for its survival and revitalization. I first examine long-term impacts of modernization and unfolding capitalism on ILK. Next, I discuss future perspectives in the light of recent developments in science, law, and politics. The paper concludes with a reflection on the role ILK ought to play in a future post-industrial society.
Topics & Concepts
Modernization theoryIndigenousPoliticsPsychological resiliencePolitical scienceCapitalismSociologyResilience (materials science)Political economyLawPsychotherapistBiologyThermodynamicsPhysicsPsychologyEcologyAgriculture, Land Use, Rural DevelopmentAnthropological Studies and InsightsIndigenous Knowledge Systems and Agriculture