Indigenous Self-determination & Governance: What’s Legitimacy Got to Do with It?

Author: Dr. Millicent Nickason
Current to: November 2023

Elevate your legal expertise with our latest Practice Point, which this time shines an important light on Indigenous governance.

“Indigenous Self-determination & Governance: What’s Legitimacy Got to Do with It?” arrives as part of CLEBC Online Course Materials and was presented by Dr. Millicent Nickason at CLEBC’s Aboriginal Law Conference 2023.

The article delves into the concept of legitimacy in the context of Indigenous self-determination and governance. It emphasizes that the conceptual framework for legitimacy is an idealized version of what societies aspire to be, rather than an objectively verifiable description of how societies actually operate.

Additionally, the article presents research findings on First Nations’ conceptions of legitimacy with respect to their governments and legal orders, based on Indigenous sources and voices, concluding with reflections on the challenges and the importance of understanding each other’s perspectives on legitimacy to facilitate more effective efforts in supporting Indigenous self-governance.

As Nickason states, “Understanding intercultural differences and similarities — in how legitimacy is built, maintained or undermined — can assist us in building better relations, greater trust, and setting us on a better path to more effective negotiations and intergovernmental arrangements.”

Don’t miss this enlightening and increasingly important paper!

View PDF of the paper