On Global and Local Agents and the Social Making of Representations of Indigenous Peoples’ Identities in Latin America

DANIEL MATO

Swedish Research Council Series

Forskningsrådsnämnden - Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research (FRN)

Lugar: Estocolmo; Año: 1999 vol. 99 p. 194 - 209

0348-3991

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 85.05pt 70.85pt 85.05pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> In this article I discuss the importance of some current transnational relations between global agents and indigenous peoples´ organizations from Latin America in the social making of representations of identities and associated ideas that inform the agendas of these organizations.   In order to argue the relevance of studying both local-global connections and global agents´ practices, I will briefly discuss a few illustrative examples, or partial images of larger cases, taken from my field and documentary research about some current experiences in Latin America. It is precisely in order to be able of showing the importance of both transnational connections and the practices of "global" agents that I have chosen to discuss a few significant examples, or partial images, instead of presenting a more exhaustive ethnographic report of a single case-study constructed at the "local" level as it is usual in Anthropology. Discussing through various examples will allow me to highlight the practices of significant common agents who take part in what otherwise may be regarded as disconnected "ethnic" cases. These partial images make it plausible to state that transnational networks of "local" grassroots organizations, diverse kinds of "local" intermediary non-government organizations (NGOs), and what I call "global agents" (a single operational expression to name a variety of social agents, i.e.: international agencies, bilateral cooperation agencies, the multilateral banks, transnational foundations, as well as transnational social movements and non-governmental organizations) play significant roles in the social making of representations of indigenous peoples´ identities and associated ideas that inform the agendas of these peoples´ organizations.