Book Description

This volume presents six major issues that have been divisive in and out of the Native American community. Readers will learn about the varied cultural, political, social, and economic dimensions of contemporary Native America and will be prompted to consider the complexity and complications of ethnic and cultural diversity in the United States. Where do you stand on the issue of sports teams named after Native Americans? Are tribal claims on ancestral remains and sacred objects in museums valid? The contemporary issues that Native Americans struggle with are critical concerns for all Americans. This volume presents six major issues that have been divisive in and out of the Native American community. Readers will learn about the varied cultural, political, social, and economic dimensions of contemporary Native America and will be prompted to consider the complexity and complications of ethnic and cultural diversity in the United States. Readers will ponder the very foundations of the United States and the rights of its original inhabitants' descendants. The range of issues encompasses Native Americans throughout the country, from the Mashpee Wampanoags of Massachusetts to Pacific Northwest tribes. This book incorporates views from a wide variety of sources, including newspaper op-eds, Supreme Court rulings, and more. A resource guide complementing each chapter includes an extensive listing of suggested reading plus videos/film, Web sites, and organizations.