Indigenous Peoples, Inequality & Colonial Legacies
Why are Indigenous languages spoken less each year?
Discrimination and stigma
School systems that prioritize Spanish/Portuguese
Urban migration and assimilation
Limited state protection for Indigenous languages
Mention three criminal organizations operating in Latin America.
Sinaloa Cartel
CJNG (Jalisco New Generation Cartel)
PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital)
Tren de Aragua
Gulf Clan
FARC dissidents
Mention three social movements in Latin America.
Ni Una Menos
Zapatistas (EZLN)
Indigenous movements (CONAIE, CIDOB)
Student movements in Chile
LGBTQ+ movements
Environmental/anti-extractivist movements
Why do people migrate? Mention two reasons.
Economic opportunity
Violence and insecurity
Family reunification
Climate change
Political crises
Mention one country with high Indigenous political mobilization.
Bolivia
Guatemala
Mexico
Why does militarization often increase violence instead of reducing it?
Fragmentation of criminal groups
Power vacuums trigger turf wars
Corruption and lack of coordination
Balloon effect displaces violence
Define “femicide” or “feminicidio.”
The killing of women because they are women, rooted in gender inequality (Russell, Lagarde).
Feminicidio includes impunity and state failure.
Mention one major migration route within Latin America.
Venezuela → Colombia/Chile/Ecuador
Central America → Mexico → U.S.
Haiti → Dominican Republic
Bolivia/Paraguay → Argentina
How have colonial legacies affected Indigenous populations?
Land dispossession and forced labor systems shaped modern inequality
Racial hierarchies and exclusion from political institutions
Concentration of wealth and resources in non-Indigenous elites
Persistent discrimination in education, health, and representation
Mention one factor that explains the rise in violence in Mexico after 2006.
State fragmentation
Cartel fragmentation
Arms flow from the U.S.
Full-scale militarization under Calderón
Mention two countries that recently expanded women’s reproductive rights.
Argentina (2020 legalization)
Mexico (2021–2023 Supreme Court rulings)
Colombia (2022 decriminalization up to 24 weeks)
What is one risk migrants face because of state policies?
Exposure to violence at borders
Detention and family separation
Deportation-related harm
Abuse under MPP (“Remain in Mexico”)
Mention one collective right that has been recognized for Indigenous
Land and territory rights
Cultural and linguistic recognition
Indigenous legal systems or community justice
Intercultural education
Is extreme violence endemic to the drug market? Explain why or why not.
Violence increases when states are weak or fragmented, not necessarily because drugs are inherently violent
What is the difference between social mobilization and a social movement?
Social mobilization: Collective action or protest that may be temporary or unorganized.
Social movement: Requires organization, clear identity, sustained goals, and long-term structure.
What was the main cause of migration from Central America in the 1990s?
Civil war legacies: violence, displacement, political instability, and post-war insecurity
What is Step No. 1 when you are working on an assignment?
Read the instructions carefully
Why do people support “mano dura” policies even when they harm democracy?
Fear of crime
Distrust in institutions
Desire for immediate results
Perception that democratic processes are too slow
Has feminist mobilization changed state policies? Give one example.
Legalization of abortion in Argentina
Decriminalization in Mexico or Colombia
Anti-femicide laws
National systems to track gender violence
Why do political narratives often blame migrants for insecurity?
Scapegoating for electoral gain
Media exaggerations
Simplified explanations for complex problems
Linking migration to crime to justify hardline policies