Thesis: 'Thinking Diversity: Indigenous Resurgence and the Case of Sumak Kawsay'

This research explores the concept of Buen Vivir (Living Well), rooted in the Kichwa notion of Sumak Kawsay, and its role in reconstructing Indigenous cultural, epistemic, and political identities in Andean politics. It examines the term’s evolving meanings, including state appropriation as a political tool, academic framing as a utopian framework, and Indigenous perspectives emphasizing plurinationality and diversity. By distinguishing Sumak Kawsay as political thought, the study critically evaluates the interplay between Indigenous and mainstream conceptualizations of difference. It aims to de-provincialize thought on Indigenous politics, revealing both possibilities and challenges in integrating alternative knowledges and ways of being in our political thought and practice.