Native Americans in the 21st Century

elective courses

The history of the United States of America provides a starting point for analysing the importance of indigenous peoples in the 21st century. The course reviews the history, culture, institutions, and economic affairs of Native Americans with the goal to understand their roles in contemporary North America. To contextualise this course, relevant cases of Indigenous Peoples from around the world will be analysed including their roles at the international level, particularly within the United Nations system. This course provides students with the opportunity to improve their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills.

This course provides a general review of Natives Americans in North America. In the United States, there are 573 federally recognised American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) tribes and villages scattered across 36 states. Reflecting a geographical, linguistic and cultural diversity, the U.S. census, reports an aggregated Indian and Native population of 6.9 million by 2018.

Through an inter-disciplinary approach, this course surveys Native American cultural issues such as the controversies related to the use of images referred to Native nations in videogames and sports. The course also surveys environmental issues trying to understand the relationship between tribes and natural resources. Moreover, the course pays attention to indigenous institutions (i.e. Tribal Governance) and their relationship with the US government; it also pays attention to the issue of Native Americans representation in the U.S. Congress. In examining economic issues, the course pays attention to the gambling industry in Indian Country.

In addressing these topics, the course draws from the works of distinguished Native American scholars including Vine Deloria, James Anaya, Duane Champagne, and Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Globally, the course is framed within United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Anaya, J. 1996. Indigenous Peoples in International Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Anaya, J. 2012. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, on the situation of indigenous peoples in the United States of America. Addendum 1. The situation of indigenous peoples in the United States of America. 30 August. Ginebra. A/HRC/21/47/Add.1. Human Rights Council, United Nations. www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session21/A-HRC-21-47-Add1_en.pdf

Biolsi, T. 2004. A companion to the anthropology of American Indians. Blackwell: Malden MA.

Bradford, W. (2005). Beyond Reparations: an American Indian Theory of Justice. Ohio State Law Journal, 66(1), 1-104.

Champagne, D. (2008). From first nations to self-government-A political legacy of indigenous nations in the United States. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(12), 1672-1693. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0002764208318925

Champagne, D. Social Order and Political Change: Constitutional Governments Among the Cherokee, the Choctaw, the Chickasaw and the Creek, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1992.

Deloria, Vine. Custer Died for Your Sins : an Indian Manifesto. Norman :University of Oklahoma Press, 1988.

Deloria, V. and Clifford M. Lytle. The Nations Within: The Past and Future of American Indian Sovereignty. New York: Pantheon, 1984.

Dunbar‐Ortiz, R. 2014. An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, Beacon Press, Boston, MA, 2014.

Fleras, A. and Elliott, J. L. (1992). The ‘Nations Within’. Aboriginal-State Relations in Canada,

the Unites States, and New Zealand. Oxford University Press, Canadá.

International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). (2022). The Indigenous World 2022. Copenhagen: IWGIA.

Ivision, D; Patton, P. and Sanders, W. (eds.). (2000). Political Theory and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Kymlicka, W. (1995). Multicultural Citizenship. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Nagel, J. (1995). American Indian Ethnic Renewal: Politics and the Resurgence of Identity, American Sociological Review, 60(6), pp. 947-965.

Peltier, L. (2000). Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance. St. Martin's Griffin.

Smith, S. (2008). Hemp for Sovereignty: Scale, Territory and the Struggle for Native American sovereignty. Space and Polity, 12 (2), 231-249.

Tauli Corpuz, Victoria. 2017. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples on her mission to the United States of America. A/HRC/36/46/Add.1,

Human Rights Council. United Nations.

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G17/236/36/PDF/G1723636.pdf?OpenElement

KNOWLEDGE

Upon completing this course a student:

- has am advanced knowledge of social phenomena related to Native Americans.

- Recognizes broad processes in social, political, cultural perspectives

- Conceptualizes complex processes in the United States of America.

- Uses scientific terminology in the study of Native Americans.

SKILLS

Upon completing this course a student:

- is able to critically use theories and concepts concerning Native Americans.

-is able to independently attain knowledge, develop critical thinking, reading and writing skills.

- formulates critical arguments on topics related to Native Americans.

SOCIAL COMPETENCES

Upon completing this course a student:

- is open to new phenomena and new ideas in contemporary societies.

- appreciates the roles of Native Americans in today’s world.

- completes and improves his or her knowledge of the United States of America.

Student assessment is based on:

Class Participation: (10%)

Annotated bibliography: 500 word (20%)

Term Essay: 1 000 words (30%)

Final Essay: 1 000 words (40%)

Grading:

5: 100-88

4: 87-73

3: 72-57

2: 56-0