Date of Award

Spring 4-26-2024

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Major

International Studies and Human Rights

First Advisor

Benjamin Carbonetti

Abstract

This paper examines Mapuche utilization of the Inter-American Commission and Court on Human Rights as a strategy of advocacy in social movements. Key theories in play are ideas of claim making and land rights, the definition and role of social movements in society, and the historic role the Inter-American Commission and Court has had in shaping norms and legal claims about indigenous rights in the Americas. The paper employs a discourse analysis to overview three case studies submitted to the IACHR by Mapuche groups in relation to indigenous rights. This analysis focuses on the context that brought forth these petitions, the structure of these arguments, the rights invoked and the trends across all three cases. I argue that the Inter-American human rights system serves as an important tool of norm changing and a platform that facilitates dialogue between the Mapuche and the Chilean state. Mapuche activists engage with this system to address systemic issues within the Chilean state and assert their desire for autonomy. While partially effective in addressing indigenous rights issues, the system faces challenges such as funding constraints and non-compliance at the national level, limiting its immediate impact on human rights violations. Despite these limitations, the system plays a crucial role as a norm shaper in the broader context of human rights advocacy.

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