Conference “Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities in Transition”

UNRISD researchers Virginius Xaxa (University of New Delhi, India) and Raymundo Rovillos (University of the Philippines, Banguio) will be presenting their research from the project “Identity, Power and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” at the First International Conference on Cordillera Studies on 7 February 2008. The conference is hosted by the Cordillera Studies Center (CSC) of the University of the Philippines Banguio, and is held in conjunction with the university’s Centennial celebration.

Under the title of “Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Transition” the three-day conference wants to raise participants’ awareness of the changing living conditions of indigenous peoples, caused by globalization, electronic technology and migration. Its goal is to present different perspectives and approaches for understanding indigenous society, economy and culture.

The conference themes include governance and public policy, identity and representation, natural resource management, information and communication technology, and indigenous knowledge systems and practices, among others. A total of 140 papers will be presented in 42 panel sessions.

Panel three is dedicated to the UNRISD project “Identity, Power and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”. It will feature a general introduction of the project, along with the case study reports for Orissa, India (Virginius) and for Zamboanga del Norte, Southern Philippines (Raymundo).