Indigenous Approaches to International Law

What does it mean to “indigenize” international law—and why does it matter for the environment?

In this episode of People, Places, Planet, host Sebastian Duque Rios speaks with legal scholars Jonathan Liljeblad, Kristen Carpenter, and Margaret Palaghicon Von Rotz about how Indigenous peoples are reshaping international legal thought. Together, they explore the concept of Indigenous legal orders—living systems of law that exist alongside and often in tension with state-based international law—and their growing influence in environmental governance. From the Ifugao people’s stewardship of the Philippines’ rice terraces to the Yurok Tribe’s river restoration and land back efforts in California, the conversation highlights how Indigenous nations are asserting legal authority across state borders, revitalizing relationships to land and water, and challenging colonial legacies in our legal systems.

This episode offers a powerful look at what international law could become when Indigenous legal systems are recognized as active, evolving sources of law shaping the planet’s future.