Indigenous People Law

Paper Summary:

The paper looks at the article "Discovering Peoples in International Law", by Sharon Helen Venne, that examines international law regarding indigenous rights. The paper looks at how the article discusses the historical evolution of indigenous rights and how it provides an overview of sources of international law. The paper is of the opinion that this article provides a very comprehensive introduction to the subject matter although it has some minor flaws.

From the Paper:

"As Venne explains, international law regarding indigenous rights began to evolve when Spanish explorers discovered the Indigenous Peoples of America. Finding these people gave rise to the key question of whether these were biological humans who had human rights. The answer to this would determine whether they had rights over their own persons, their land, and their natural resources - or whether the European invaders could simply lay claim to all of this. Today this seems like a strange question to pose, but it triggered a very serious debate in Europe."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Venne, Sharon Helen. "Discovering Peoples in International Law." Our Elders Understand our Rights: Evolving International Law Regarding Indigenous Rights. Theytus Books, Ltd,. 1998.

More papers on Indigenous People Law:

• Analytical Essay # 146718 : "Indigenous Peoples and the Law"
• Book Review # 117987 : "Ghost Dancing the Law: The Wounded Knee Trials"
• Essay # 45509 : "Indigenous Land Rights"

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