Governance at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) affirms the connection between the sovereignty of tribal nations and regional accreditation standards. Shared governance, where faculty, administrators, and trustees all contribute to oversight and decision-making, is a central component at TCUs and has unique implications for tribal…

When Shirley Chisholm (in 1972) and then Hillary Clinton (in 2008, and again in 2016) ran for president, there was great excitement. Indeed, electing the "first woman" to the Office of the President would be an important milestone. Yet, Indigenous women have long held positions of leadership, including the position of President,…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to (a) analyze the potential effects of the new relationship between state and federal governments on tribal sovereignty and self-determination and (b) problematize the devolution of power back to the states as they are entrusted to use the guiding frameworks of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to ensure…

Examining the "chanupa," or ceremonial pipe, from a Lakota perspective reveals it as responding to a particular ontology and extends indigenous rhetorics to consider the ontological dimensions of communication. Distinctions between indigenous rhetorics and new materialist rhetorics bring greater attention to how groups and individuals…

Despite the plethora of schooling options in Indigenous communities, the public policy debate, research, and discourse on school choice is almost entirely absent a specific engagement with how school choice intersects issues relevant to American Indian youth and tribal nations. This article suggests that Indian Country is an important and unique…

Indigenous sovereignty is an essential component of civics education. Historical and contemporary examples of infringements on the sovereign rights of Native nations exist, in part, due to the disregard of tribal sovereignty, nationhood, and citizenship. Given the aims of inquiry leading to informed action, we see a strong fit for using the…

With a poem by Dr. Leanne Simpson, Anishinaabe scholar and storyteller, at its foundation, this article discusses the impact on Métis filmmaker Cara Mumford of creating a short film based on the poem, while exploring connections between women, language, and land within Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg territory. The author's epiphany about the…

Recently, the question has arisen as to whether or not federal Indian law should be taught at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). To answer this three questions must be asked: (1) Why should such a subject be taught and who would teach it; (2) Which department should be responsible for Indian law courses; and (3) Should they be offered…

Students in Sitting Bull College's lay advocate program develop a well-rounded understanding of the law, enabling them to represent defendants in tribal courts. The program offers legal training for its students--and illustrates how American Indian nations can broaden legal representation for Native defendants in tribal courts. It is one of only…

This case study of undergraduate early childhood education pre-service teachers in an international field experience examines living, working, and studying in a sovereign nation while still "at home" within the United States. In our various roles (researcher, pre-service teacher, faculty mentor), we explored the impact of colonization as…

Eighty-six Cheyenne families followed Little Wolf to his self-imposed exile near Rosebud Creek. To most observers, this blind loyalty to a fallen leader required little explanation. After all, Little Wolf had recently led his people in a costly yet courageous escape from Indian Territory, fighting through the dead of winter back to the Northern…

The relationship between American Indians and the U.S. federal government and state governments is complicated. It is a relationship that controls almost all aspects of tribal life and has resulted in American Indians being the most legislated people in the United States. For many years tribal people relied on non-Native attorneys to help navigate…

This paper reviews the meaning and content of various First-Nation self-government discourses that have emerged over the last 40 years. Based on a detailed thematic analysis of policy papers, reports, and self-governance agreements on this issue of First-Nations control of education, this paper presents a coherent and defensible understanding of…

In this article, Teresa L. McCarty and Tiffany S. Lee present critical culturally sustaining/revitalizing pedagogy as a necessary concept to understand and guide educational practices for Native American learners. Premising their discussion on the fundamental role of tribal sovereignty in Native American schooling, the authors underscore and…

This article examines the discursive production of counsellor identity and practice through the operations of colonising and postcolonial discourse in Aotearoa New Zealand. It argues that constructs of cultural safety, tino rangatiratanga and Maori sovereignty, which arose as part of the postcolonial politics of life in Aotearoa, have achieved…