Kū’ē: Sovereignty and Violence
Faculty Sponsor(s)
Patrick Cottrell
Subject Area
Political Science
Description
Western sociologists, philosophers, and political scientists alike agree that sovereignty is intimately related to the legitimate capacity for violence. These same scholars rarely consider the colonial context of the United States and the persistent injustices faced by the historically occupied and colonized. When is violence permissible? How does Indigenous sovereignty impact the moral legitimacy of violence? My conceptual analysis is in the context of the historical pattern of US assimilationist tactics and considers radical political thought on violence, sovereignty, and justice. I argue that violence may be permissible when utilized by Indigenous peoples and can be used strategically to decolonize occupied territories.
Recommended Citation
Mason, Stella, "Kū’ē: Sovereignty and Violence" (2021). Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement. Event. Submission 13.
https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/symposium/2021/all/13
Kū’ē: Sovereignty and Violence
Western sociologists, philosophers, and political scientists alike agree that sovereignty is intimately related to the legitimate capacity for violence. These same scholars rarely consider the colonial context of the United States and the persistent injustices faced by the historically occupied and colonized. When is violence permissible? How does Indigenous sovereignty impact the moral legitimacy of violence? My conceptual analysis is in the context of the historical pattern of US assimilationist tactics and considers radical political thought on violence, sovereignty, and justice. I argue that violence may be permissible when utilized by Indigenous peoples and can be used strategically to decolonize occupied territories.
