Unsettling narratives: Climate action beyond settler environmentalism though the revitalization of Indigenous Law
Date
2024
Authors
Ohayon, Jacqueline
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Abstract
This thesis explores how settler environmentalism functions as a colonial structure, perpetuating environmental racism and marginalizing Indigenous and racialized communities through exclusionary narratives and solutions. Using narrative theory in law, it critiques the apocalyptic framings often employed in environmental movements, which prioritize settler perspectives while obscuring systemic inequalities. By engaging with decolonial scholarship and Indigenous knowledge systems, the research highlights the ontological and legal implications of alternative approaches to climate action that challenge colonial paradigms. It argues for a reimagined environmental legal framework that centers justice, equity, and community-driven solutions, offering pathways toward dismantling the colonial legacies embedded in contemporary environmental policy.
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Keywords
indigenous law, environmentalism, climate change, decolonialism, law, settler colonialism, narratives