Decolonizing Views of Environmentally Related Conflict: Case Studies of Indigenous and Nonindigenous Fishing Groups in British Columbia and Washington State

Around the globe, inter-group conflict has intensified as natural resources dwindle. Researchers often characterize such conflict in socioeconomic terms. This paper explores the strengths and limitations of current lines of theorization, and offers an alternative framework informed by postcolonial theory. This theoretical exploration is supported by case studies of conflict between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishing groups in British Columbia and Washington State. The cross-cultural/cross-national comparison illustrates how a culturally and historically grounded analysis of place might shed light on environmentally related conflict that occurs between groups when power relationships are asymmetrical. This work has implications, not only for theorization of inter-group conflict, but also for developing collaborative means of conflict resolution.