Ecocide, Genocide, Capitalism and Colonialism: Consequences for Indigenous Peoples and Global Ecosystems Environment

Document Type : translation

Authors
Sayed Alireza Mirkamali 1
Amin Hajivand 2
Behzad Tavassoli Fam 3
1 Assistant Professor of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 Doctoral student and guest lecturer of law, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran (Responsible Translator)
3 Master of Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Laws, Rushdieh Institute of Higher Education, Tabriz, Iran
10.22034/lc.2023.397540.1345
Abstract
 
Injustice and denial of rights of indigenous peoples are part of the long legacy of colonialism. Parallel processes of exploitation and injustice can be identified in relation to non-human species and/or aspects of the natural environment. International law can address some extreme examples of the crimes and harms of colonialism through the idea and legal definition of genocide, but the intimately related notion of ecocide that applies to nature and the environment is not yet formally accepted within the body of international law. In the context of this special issue reflecting on the development of green criminology, the article argues that the concept of ecocide provides a powerful tool. To illustrate this, the article explores connections between ecocide, genocide, capitalism and colonialism and discusses impacts on indigenous peoples and on local and global (glocal) ecosystems.
Keywords
Colonialism
Ecocide
Ecosystems
Genocide
Indigenous Peoples

Subjects