The Methodology of Environmental History and its Contributions to the Study of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America

Abstract

this article examines how environmental history has become a key tool for understanding the struggles of Indigenous peoples in Latin America, focusing on the defense of nature and territories. Ecological and territorial conflicts, originated in the historical interaction between Indigenous societies and their environment, are deeply connected to their traditional practices and ecological knowledge. These conflicts often arise from confrontations between Indigenous communities and external actors, such as the State, extractive companies, and international policies, that seek to exploit or control their resources. In Colombia, the Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca (CRIC) has played a crucial role in the defense of territorial rights and environmental protection since the 1970s. cric’s struggles not only address environmental degradation, but also represent a cultural and political resistance, which has been essential to biodiversity conservation. The article argues that environmental history provides an interdisciplinary approach that enhances understanding of human-nature interactions, offering new perspectives for studying environmental conflicts in the global south.