Canadian foreign policy analysis and Inuit within Canada

ABSTRACT

This article examines transnational Indigenous cooperation among Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council using decolonialism and Indigenization in Canadian foreign policy analysis. The mainstream IR approaches primarily consider Indigenous NGOs as civil society groups united by common interests and cultures and as organizations that promote social change. This study argues that unlike other types of NGOs, Indigenous organizations have a complex social identity, which is influenced by settler-colonial heritage. Besides this, transnationalism promotes collective Indigenous agency. Like feminist IR, Indigenous IR scholarship challenges dominant worldviews and conceptualizations of Westphalian sovereignty, nation-state, and security. This study suggests comparing the state-centred IR concepts and Inuit within Canada’s understandings of the same terms. Although the Inuit within Canada perceive international relations distinctly, their conceptualizations of IR should be recognized by state structures. The article suggests that CFPA should incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and promote transnational Indigenous IR studies to decolonize foreign policy and include Indigenous views in analysis.

RÉSUMÉ

Cet article examine la coopération autochtone transnationale entre les participants permanents au Conseil de l'Arctique en s'appuyant sur le décolonialisme et l'indigénisation dans l'analyse de la politique étrangère canadienne. Les approches dominantes en matière de relations internationales (RI) considèrent principalement les ONG autochtones comme des groupes de la société civile unis par des intérêts et des cultures communs, et comme des organisations qui promeuvent le changement social. Cette étude soutient que, contrairement à d'autres types d'ONG, les organisations autochtones ont une identité sociale complexe qui est influencée par l'héritage colonial des colons. En outre, le transnationalisme favorise la capacité d'agir collective des autochtones. À l'instar des RI féministes, la recherche en RI autochtones remet en question les visions du monde et les conceptions dominantes de la souveraineté, de l'État-nation et de la sécurité westphaliens. Cette étude propose de comparer les concepts de RI centrés sur l'État et les interprétations des mêmes termes par les Inuits du Canada. Bien que les Inuits du Canada perçoivent les relations internationales de manière distincte, leurs conceptions en la matière devraient être reconnues par les structures de l'État. L'article suggère que l'analyse de la politique étrangère canadienne devrait intégrer les modes de connaissance autochtones et promouvoir les études transnationales autochtones sur les RI, afin de décoloniser la politique étrangère et d'inclure les points de vue autochtones dans l'analyse.

KEYWORDS:

• Arctic
• Inuit
• international relations
• sovereignty

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 A disorder whereby a patient is unable to recognize and identify objects, persons, or sounds; here, agnosia is used metaphorically

2 Mainly the literature on the Inuit within Canada

3 Strategies and actions taken based on a close appraisal of the balance of power (Abele & Rodon, 2007).

4 Without at all requiring unanimity, an ability to work co-operatively and in the longer term toward a common goal, despite numerous setbacks and roadblocks (Abele & Rodon, 2007).

5 An ability to readily recognize changed circumstances, however unwelcome these may be, and to react constructively and quickly (Abele & Rodon, 2007).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Evgeniia (Jen) Sidorova

Evgeniia (Jen) Sidorova, Ph.D. is a Research Fellow at the School of Public Policy at University of Calgary. She holds a doctorate in Political Science (International Relations and Comparative Politics) from University of Calgary, AB, Canada. She identifies herself as an Indigenous Siberian (Sakha) from Yakutsk, Sakha Republic. Her special area of expertise is incorporation of Indigenous and Local Knowledge into wildlife management, science, and industrial development.