Contesting Citizenship in Latin America: The Rise of Indigenous Movements and the Postliberal Challenge

In Latin America, a region where ethnic cleavages were once universally described as weak, indigenous people have mobilized in unprecedented ways--demanding recognition, equal protection, and subnational autonomy. By the end of the twentieth century indigenous activists and elected officials have increasingly shaped national political deliberations about a new set of agendas that seek both to advance democracy and to reform it. Deborah Yashar explains the contemporary and uneven emergence of Latin American indigenous movements--addressing both why indigenous identities have become politically salient now and why they have become significant political organizations in some places and not others.