Indigenous peoples all over the world find themselves "part" of political systems that are not their own but created and defined by governments with alien rules and led by politicians. Over the last centuries, indigenous peoples have gained experience in dealing with these imposed systems of politics and with hitherto unknown social structures. The experiences are very diverse and the reactions to political systems and strategies vary. Whilst some indigenous peoples have been able to influence the political context of their respective country, such as the Greenlanders or the Kuna, this context is still, in most cases, largely dependent upon the will of, and negotiations with, the nation-state. Nevertheless, forms of oppression, marginalisation and exclusion are faced by indigenous peoples in all possible contexts and political settings and can therefore be taken as a common experience.  

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Indigenous Peoples and Local Government: Experiences from Malaysia and the Philippines, by Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), PACOS Trust, Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC), & Anthrowatch 2005

An Indigenous Parliament? Realities and Perspectives in Russia and the Circumpolar North, by Kathrin Wessendorf (ed.), 2005 

Essays on the ILO Convention no. 169 by Mette Uldall and Anne Salmi - read more

Indigenous Affairs no. 1/2002 - International Processes (can be downloaded as a PDF file)
 
Challenging Politics: Indigenous Peoples Experiences with Political Parties and Elections, ed. by Kathrin Wessendorf, 2001

Indigenous Peoples' Involvement in National Politics, by Joan Carling - read more