Keegan, B. (2023). Indigenous Religious Traditions: Terms, Histories, and Futures. Indigenous Religious Traditions, 1(2), 189–218. https://doi.org/10.1558/irt.26734

What exactly do we mean by ‘Indigenous’ and ‘Indigeneity’? This article traces the history and contours of both colonial forces and Indigenous peoples’ efforts to define ‘Indigenous’ and considers how religion—for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples—has simultaneously been defined, denied, and recognized. The article begins by highlighting the challenges surrounding terminology used to describe Indigenous peoples and Indigenous religious traditions, drawing attention to the power of vocabulary to structure knowledge. Drawing from historical and contemporary perspectives, the article then moves to the efforts of colonial forces to quantify and erase Indigeneity, the unique challenges of Indigenous recognition in Africa and Asia, the transformative potential of Indigenous perspectives in shaping international human rights discourse, and the power of social media to enact change. The discussion ends by spotlighting Indigenous research methodologies.