Over the past 20 years, scholars have expanded upon subsistence-driven models of indigenous labor and exchange by tracing out the dynamic social, economic, and political systems created by Native people. While current research has highlighted indigenous agency, especially in response to Western colonialism, these approaches have largely ignored the cultural and linguistic meanings behind key economic concepts. Through a case study of the Comanche, this article develops a culturally grounded approach to nomadic economics. The Comanche offer a compelling case for indigenous empire building, a case which points to the need to develop a revised understanding of imperialism. Drawing on documentary and archaeological evidence, this article traces the logic and logistics of Comanche imperialism in New Mexico. Specifically, I argue that during the 18th and early 19th centuries, Comanche people created a nomadic empire rooted in decentralized political power, kinship, and inter- and intra-ethnic exchange. This case study provides a glimpse into the priorities and practices of Comanche entrepreneurs and points to the important role of internal social dynamics in structuring indigenous forms of imperialism.

中文翻译：

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游牧经济学：新墨西哥州科曼奇帝国主义的逻辑和后勤

在过去的20年中，学者们通过追踪土著人民创造的动态的社会，经济和政治体系，扩展了以生存为驱动力的土著劳工和交换模式。尽管当前的研究强调了土著机构，尤其是对西方殖民主义的回应，但这些方法在很大程度上忽略了关键经济概念背后的文化和语言含义。通过对科曼奇人的案例研究，本文提出了一种以文化为基础的游牧经济学方法。科曼奇为土著帝国的建立提供了令人信服的案例，该案例表明有必要发展对帝国主义的修正理解。本文利用文献和考古证据，追溯了新墨西哥州科曼奇帝国主义的逻辑和后勤。特别，我认为，在18世纪和19世纪初期，科曼奇人创建了一个游牧帝国，植根于权力下放的政治权力，亲属关系以及民族间和民族内部的交流。该案例研究提供了科曼奇企业家的优先事项和实践的一瞥，并指出了内部社会动力在构建土著帝国主义形式中的重要作用。