American Indian Politics and the American Political System

by David E. Wilkins, Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark

American Indian Politics and the American Political System is the most comprehensive text written from a political science perspective. It analyzes the structures and functions of indigenous governments (including Alaskan Native communities and Hawaiian Natives) and the distinctive legal and political rights these nations exercise internally. It also examines the fascinating intergovernmental relationship that exists between native nations, the states, and the federal government. In the fourth edition, Wilkins and Stark analyze the challenges facing Indigenous nations as they develop new and innovative strategies to defend and demand recognition of their national character and rights. They also seeks to address issues that continue to plague many nations, such as notions of belonging and citizenship, implementation of governing structures and processes attentive to Indigenous political and legal traditions, and the promotion and enactment of sustainable practices that support our interdependence in an increasingly globalized world.

Genres: Nonfiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 23, 2001

Reviews

[Matt Sautman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wilkins work reads more like a textbook than as an academic text written for other academics. As a result, American Indian Politics and the American Political System at times reads like a survey of Native American political history. For someone who does not have as much knowledge of this history as they feel that they should, this makes for a useful resource, but the text doesn’t carry the intellectual charge as work that more explicitly engages with postcolonial/decolonial theory.

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview for those beginning with American Indian politics, the history of federal Indian law, etc. I was given this book back in 2011 when I first began studying American Indians. It serves to spark and interest and briefly begins to explain things to those just entering Federal Indian law--or those that are just curious. I would recommend it for beginners, but eventually you will need to branch out to case specific studies.

[Mills College Library]

323.1197 W684a 2011

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

The organization of the chapters is a little weird (both the order of the chapters and sections within them), but otherwise a clear and fairly
comprehensive overview of a complicated topic.