Governance failures in indigenous policy: Scientometric evidence from research, 1997–2023

Abstract

This study analyzes research trends and substantive developments in scholarship on policies concerning indigenous peoples using a scientometric approach, with particular attention to debates on the recurring failure of indigenous public policies (Figueroa Huencho, 2022), Data were collected from the Web of Science database with the keyword “indigenous policies fail”, yielding 137 articles published between 1997 and 2023 in categories representing social, political, economic, environmental, and sustainability dimensions. Bibliometric analysis is employed to map publication dynamics, author collaboration networks, and key research themes, which is then complemented by qualitative content analysis of the abstracts to interpret patterns of policy failure and the recommendations proposed. The main findings indicate that the failure of indigenous policy is driven less by resource constraints than by weaknesses in policy design that tend to be ahistorical and technocratic, unequal power relations in implementation, and the limited recognition of indigenous agency and knowledge systems. The reviewed literature also underscores the urgency of adopting place-based approaches, knowledge co-production, stronger indigenous leadership, and institutional reform to ensure state accountability and a more equitable distribution of access to resources.