Mining for Traditional Knowledge: An Analysis of the Process and Origins of Bio-prospecting and its Effects on Aboriginal Communities

Keegan Robertson

Mining for Traditional Knowledge: An Analysis of the Process and Origins of Bio-prospecting and its Effects on Aboriginal Communities

Journal of Regional Studies and Development
Abbr : JRSD
2014, 23(1), pp.149-169
Publisher : Institute for Poverty Alleviation and International Development: IPAID
Research Area : Social Science > Area Studies > Regional Studies in general > Comparative / Statistical Regional Studies

Keegan Robertson ¹

¹Queen’s University

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Aboriginal peoples around the world have made invaluable contributions toadvances in medical fields and sustainable resource management practicesthrough the use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Indigenous naturalresources, yet few benefits have been restored to the source communities. Usingeconomic and development concepts from Marx, Gunder Frank, and Ferguson Ihave deconstructed a process of international patent laws, benefit sharingagreements, and national resource ownership laws which have workedconsistently to usurp ownership of resources and knowledge from Aboriginalcommunities, and to deny their development. The result is further marginalizationand the aversion of Aboriginal communities to sharing their resources. Throughthe analysis of several case studies in Canada, South Africa, Tonga, Samoa andLesotho I conclude that resource ownership and management practices need tobe decentralized and indigeneity self-determined. I also suggest that the widerpolicy changes necessary to rectify the disenfranchisement of Aboriginal peoplesmay not be possible within the current world system of neoliberal capitalism, ascentralization of capital is implicit in its design.

KEYWORDS

aboriginal community, indigenous people, traditional ecological knowledge

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

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