Fall Semester 2004
Jeffrey Vanderziel
Contemporary Native American/First Nations Societies
(AJ27051)
Background
This seminar will be divided into two parts. The first will look at
modern (post-1865) historical relations between Native Americans and
the various European/American entities with whom they had to deal, i.e.
the U.S. and Canadian governments as well as organizations such as the
Hudson's Bay Company and missionary societies. In the second part, we
will look at contemporary Native American society and the particular
issues which are of relevance to this unique community. These will
include cultural issues (e.g., education, freedom of religion, language
preservation), economic (reservation economic development, the impact
of gambling, unemployment), legal issues (tribal self-government, land
claims) and social issues (alcoholism, drug abuse, etc.).
Goals
The goal of this seminar is to give the student a broad understanding
of the situation of Native Americans in the United States and Canada
today, while stripping away many of the stereotypes which are held
about this group of peoples, both in North America and in Europe. The
student should come away with an understanding of the vibrant and
continuing nature of the societies and cultures of this once so-called
"disappearing race."
Readings
A broad range of materials will be used. The focus of the readings
will be academic journal articles examining various aspects of
contemporary Native American/First Nations society. Additional
materials from the media (e.g. the
New York Times) will also be used.
Video
Video material used in class will primarily be documentary in
nature. This will enable us to focus our discussion on certain issues
and themes as well as giving the student a better feel for how Native
Americans experience life. Two feature films and two feature-length
documentaries will be shown outside of class and used to highlight
various aspects of the contemporary Native American experience. The
films are:
--Powwow Highway (1989), directed by Jonathan Wacks,
--Incident at Oglala (1992), directed by Michael Apted,
--Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1995), directed by
Alanis Obomsawim,
--Smoke Signals (1998), directed by Chris Eyre,
Viewing of the films is a compulsory part of the course. We will also
be watching a number of shorter-form documentary films during the class
session (particularly during Part II of the course).
Requirements
<>Each student will select a different American Indian reservation in
the United States or First Nations Reserve in Canada (including the
territory of Nunavut). You will then become the expert on that
particular group and their reservation. Your research paper should be a
comprehensive examination of their situation, examining the issues that
are discussed in the readings and during the seminars. You will select
ONE of these areas on which to make your class presentation. The
presentation will be limited to 15 minutes. Examples of topics for your
presentation (this is not meant as an inclusive or exclusive list, just
a set of examples):
-- Economic development
-- Gaming
-- Cultural identity
-- Repatriation
-- Education
-- Land claims
-- Self-government
-- Social breakdowns (i.e. spousal and child abuse, substance abuse,
etc.)
-- Hunting and fishing rights
Or any issue that is of particular importance to your group.
The breakdown of the marking is as follows:
- Class participation: 20%
- Oral presentation: 30%
- Research paper: 50%
Schedule
Week 1: Course Introduction. Ishi: The middle is an end and a
beginning
Reading: Rockafellar
and Starn, Kroeber, "Prologue", Gordon, Fagan
and Davis.
Part I: Background
Week 2: Historical Background: The Noble Savage, the concept
of Terra nullis.
Reading: Takaki, Chapter
1.
Week 3: Historical Background: Relocation, "Indian Wars,"
Neglect and Termination
Reading: Takaki, Chapter
4 and Chapter
9, and Dickason, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 (in SAC only).
Week 4: Themes in Nineteenthth Century Writings: Responses to
European Settlement
Reading: Historical oratory, Kaiser.
Week 5: Historical Background: Indian Power, Land Claims: The
1960s to the Present
Reading: Takaki, Chapter
14; Olson and Wilson, Chapters 7 & 8;.
Film: Incident at Oglala
Part II: Issues
In addition to the short stories assigned each week, there will be
a number of academic articles and (current) newspaper reports dealing
with these issues in general or the specific topic to be discussed each
week.
Week 6: Where are Native Americans today? An overview of the
political, economic, social, and demographic situation.
Reading: Goodman-Draper.
Film: Kanehsatake
Week 7: Political Sovereignty and Land. Case Issue: The Nisga'a
Reading: Coon
Come
Week 8: Social and Family Issues
Reading: Reading: Bearheart "Letter to the Reader", pp. v-xiv
Week 9: Development and Economy
Vinje; Cordes; Prue and Godsell.
Film: Powwow Highway
Week 10: Education
Farrey; Cook; Galsoton and Tibbetts; Howlett
Film: Smoke Signals
Week 11: Presentations
Week 12: Presentations
