Federal Indian Law And Policy

Federal Indian Law and Policy: An Introduction is designed to help students, instructors, and others without a legal background to learn and teach about the legal landscape that shapes Native America. Covering both the historical foundations that continue to inform the present as well as hot button issues facing Native America today, each of the thirty chapters is a concise, readable synopsis of an aspect of this dynamic, ever evolving field of law. Anyone interested in any aspect of Native America, regardless of their familiarity with the law, will find their own studies, classes, and knowledge enhanced by this text.

A perfect introduction to a vital subject very few Americans understand-the constitutional status of American Indians Few American s know that Indian tribes have a legal status unique among America's distinct racial and ethnic groups: they are sovereign governments who engage in relations with Congress. This peculiar arrangement has led to frequent legal and political disputes-indeed, the history of American Indians and American law has been one of clashing values and sometimes uneasy compromise. In this clear-sighted account, American Indian scholar N. Bruce Duthu explains the landmark cases in Indian law of the past two centuries. Exploring subjects as diverse as jurisdictional authority, control of environmental resources, and the regulations that allow the operation of gambling casinos, American Indians and the Law gives us an accessible entry point into a vital facet of Indian history.

This second edition keeps pace with legal developments in policy, federal law, and court decisions, while it continues to fill a unique niche as a primary and secondary text for courses in the field. Updates are provided for key developments such as the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on tribal sovereign immunity and the release of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs Guidelines on the interpretation of the Indian Child Welfare Act. A new chapter on Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Indian Law Practice is included. -- from publisher's website.

Approaches the study of Indian law through the lens of 16 of the most impactful law review articles.

In the early 1970s, the federal government began recognizing self-determination for American Indian nations. As sovereign entities, Indian nations have been able to establish policies concerning health care, education, religious freedom, law enforcement, gaming, and taxation. David E. Wilkins and K. Tsianina Lomawaima discuss how the political rights and sovereign status of Indian nations have variously been respected, ignored, terminated, and unilaterally modified by federal lawmakers as a result of the ambivalent political and legal status of tribes under western law.