Towards Indigenous Territorial Autonomy in Asia

Abstract A global shift towards decentralisation includes the spread of territorial autonomy for separatist minorities and Indigenous sovereignty movements. These trends and accompanying scholarship have evolved in isolation, to their mutual detriment. This paper has two goals. First, it identifies Indigenous autonomy as one form of territorial autonomy and one manifestation of Indigenous sovereignty. Indigenous autonomy resembles mainstream autonomy, but has distinct origins, powers, leadership, and scale. Second, while existing research focuses on Latin America and the Arctic, this paper looks to Asia. I identify four sets of cases: Existing autonomous regions not always seen as Indigenous, Indigenous subregions nested within autonomous regions, special subnational units rarely seen as autonomous or Indigenous, and recognised Indigenous peoples lacking territorial government. A clearer sense of Indigenous autonomy has the potential to deliver renewed, albeit partial sovereignty to Asia’s tribal peoples.