Community-Based Conflict Resolution: Customary Law and Indigenous Self-Governance in Oaxaca, Mexico

This research project examines usos y costumbres, a traditional Indigenous governance system still used in over 400 municipalities across Oaxaca, Mexico. These systems were formally recognized after the 1994–1995 reforms to the Mexican constitution, giving Indigenous communities the right to elect local leaders and resolve conflicts based on customary practices rather than through political parties or the state’s formal legal system. The project explores how usos y costumbres provide faster conflict resolution and strengthen Indigenous autonomy. In many communities, conflicts are settled in a matter of hours or days, while similar cases may remain unresolved for years within the formal legal system. This project shows that usos y costumbres are not just historical traditions, but active systems that continue to meet the needs of Indigenous communities today while reinforcing their right to govern themselves on their own terms.