El retorno del nacionalismo romántico en el discurso sobre los pueblos indígenas

In the so-called era of globalisation, the end of the nation state as the predominant form of socio-political organisation has often been invoked. In contrast, the key concepts of romantic nationalist thinking, which emerged in Europe in the 18^th century, are on the rise all over the world. Based on the processes of social differentiation in many countries and mediated through international organisations and international politics, they have become the widely recognised foundations for the constitution of political units. This can be seen, for example, in the discussions on autonomy and the recognition of indigenous rights in Latin America. Concepts similar to the ‘Volksgeist’ (people’s spirit), elaborated by Johann Gottfried Herder and others, and the idea that each ‘people’ is characterised by a common language, culture and social institutions, are frequently used. The article shows that there are parallels in the socio-structural conditions under which nationalist and ethnic ideologies emerged in Europe in the early 19^th century and in Latin America in the second half of the 20^th century. He argues that in debates on autonomy, the short history of ethnogenesis of indigenous groups and their increasing social differentiation, which is a crucial factor in explaining the emergence of indigenous organisations at local, national and international levels, is often ignored. Constitutional and legal reforms in Latin America do not preserve ancestral traditions, but give rise to the emergence of new forms of political participation and legal practice.