Sovereignty and Native Americans

8/12/2019 Sovereignty and Native Americans

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Comparative American StudiesCAST 326Oberlin CollegeSpring 2011

CAST 326

Performing Sovereignty: Reservations, Militarism, and the Politics of Native America*This is a gateway course to the Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies major*

Dr. Kara ThompsonW: 7-9 pmKing 327

CONTACTE-mail:[email protected] Office:King 141FOffice hours: MW 11-1

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The main objective of this course is to understand how sovereignty is both paradoxical and performative. We will

begin with an examination ofsovereignty

from a philosophical perspective by focusing mainly on GiorgioAgambens Homo Sacer. We will then build from this theoretical foundation to examine nation-to-nationnegotiations in the U.S., namely between Native American tribal nations and U.S. federal and state governments.We will approach this complex topic through a variety of texts about specific legal, social, and cultural effortsmade by both federal/state governments andtribal nationsto exercise and resist sovereignty. Indian gamingwill provide one specific site for examining this fraught negotiation, prompting us to ask: Is tribal sovereignty evenattainable? And, in the final sections of the course, we will examine expressions of tribal nationalismsuch asMiss Indian America, the Miss Navajo pageant, the Shadow Wolves Tracking Unitliterary sovereignty; and thepolitics of sovereignty from a transnational or global perspective.

OBJECTIVES

To gain a basic understanding of sovereignty as a political and philosophical conceptTo learn about the legislative histories that set tribal nations into a permanent relationship of domesticdependence

To study allotment history, with particular attention to the politics of gender and sexuality

To examine the limits and possibilities of the reservation system

To investigate different strategies by tribal nations to gain sovereignty and self-determination rights,including: Indian gaming; literary nationalism; and global indigenous rights movements

COURSE POLICIES

Discussion: This seminar will primarily be discussion-based. I expect consistent and respectful participation byeveryone in the class.

Attendance: I expect you to attend every class meeting, particularly because we only meet once per week. If youknow you will be absent from class, please let me know as soon as possible. And, if you miss a class, you areresponsible for finding out what you missed and what is expected for the next class. Check Blackboard and/or aska fellow class member for details. (Not me, please.) Participation is a significant amount of your grade and youcannot participate if you are not in class. Also, being present in classboth physically and mentallyis crucial tobuilding a cohesive and collegial community.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Cellphones

Off and stored in your bag. I will not tolerate errant rings in classthese are extremely disruptive anddisrespectful.

Laptops

Many of our readings will be in pdf form, so I understand the need for your computer in class. In fact, if youchoose not to print the articles, I encourage you to bring your computer so you have the reading immediatelyavailable. However, use of laptops for anything not related to the class lecture or discussion (random Internetbrowsing, etc) will mean losing laptop privileges.

Timeliness: Assignments must be submitted on time in order to receive full credit. I will deduct 1/3 of a gradefor each 24 hours an assignment is late (i.e., from B+ to B). Assignments submitted later than one week past theoriginal deadline without a written extension will be given credit at my discretion and will generally earn nogreater than a minimum passing grade. Requests for extensions must be submitted by email at least72 hourspriorto the assignment due date and are generally available only for extenuating circumstances. Late papers maynot receive written comments. No late assignments will be accepted past the end of reading period without anapproved incomplete from the Dean of Studies. Extensions on final projects also require an incomplete. There

are no exceptions to this policy.

Assignment Format: All essay assignments (unless directed otherwise) will be submitted via Blackboard. Theymust be posted to the Blackboard site before class time on the day they are due. Do not let this affect yourtimeliness for class. On essay due dates, class will still begin promptly at 7 pm. After I make comments and postyour grades, I will inform you via email so you may retrieve your essay annotated with my comments and yourgrade. Important: You must upload your essays as .doc files (no Pages, .rtf or .pdf). If your paper is not a .docfile, it will be counted as late. Finally, it is your responsibility to make sure your essay posts correctly toBlackboard, not mine. After you attach the file, double-check to be sure you are able to download and open it inWord.

Essays must be double-spaced and use a standard font type and size (11 or 12 pt.). Include your name, the date, a

title, page numbers, and the honor code. Please be sure to proofread carefully for style and grammar. Use eitherMLAor Chicago Manual of Stylefor formatting in-text citations and endnotes/footnotes/or bibliographies. Thesestyle guides are available in the library or under Resources on our course site. Papers that do not follow properformatting instructions may receive a 1/3-grade deduction.

P/NP: If you are taking this course P/NP, you must fulfill all course obligations and complete all assignments in orderto receive credit for the course. Please also let me know at the beginning of the course if you plan to take it P/NP.

Email: I check my email regularly but not obsessively. Do not expect a response from me until at least 24 hours afteryour email was sent. If you dont receive a response within 24 hours, then please email me again to be sure I receivedthe first email.

Honor Code: This course will follow the policies described in theOberlin College Honor Code and Honor System.Please include the statement I affirm that I have adhered to the Honor Code in this assignment in all written work. Ifyou have any questions about academic honesty, citation, or the relationship of the Honor Code to your work in thiscourse, please let me know.

Students with Disabilities: If you need disability-related accommodations for your work in this course, please letme know. Support is available throughStudent Academic Servicesplease contact Jane Boomer, Director of theOffice of Disability Services,for assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs.
https://oncampus.oberlin.edu/courses/1/SL-dean/content/_195488_1/Revised%20Honor%20Code%20and%20Honor%20System.pdfhttps://oncampus.oberlin.edu/courses/1/SL-dean/content/_195488_1/Revised%20Honor%20Code%20and%20Honor%20System.pdfhttps://oncampus.oberlin.edu/courses/1/SL-dean/content/_195488_1/Revised%20Honor%20Code%20and%20Honor%20System.pdfhttp://www.oberlin.edu/SSS/http://www.oberlin.edu/SSS/http://oncampus.oberlin.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/courseMain?course_id=_19860_1http://oncampus.oberlin.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/courseMain?course_id=_19860_1http://oncampus.oberlin.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/courseMain?course_id=_19860_1http://www.oberlin.edu/SSS/https://oncampus.oberlin.edu/courses/1/SL-dean/content/_195488_1/Revised%20Honor%20Code%20and%20Honor%20System.pdf


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ASSIGNMENTS

Participation: This seminar relies on intellectual interchange and active participation by all members ofthe class. Class meetings emphasize analysis of assigned readings. In order for the seminar to beeffective, all students must have the reading assignments completed and be prepared for in-depthdiscussion. The class requires your thoughtful and continuous participation; therefore, regularattendance is mandatory. This is a seminar that requires a high level of individual and collectiveengagement. 10%

Critical Essays & Discussion: In order to facilitate critical thinking and class discussion, each of you will submit onecritical essay (up to 1500 words) based on the weekly readings. Each essay will analyzethe authors argument,methods, and key points from the text you believe are relevant for seminar discussion. On the day your essay isdue, you will also lead class discussion for 20 minutes. See prompt for more details. 35% (30% for essay, 5% forleading class discussion)

Research Project: You will choose a final topic for a 9-12-page paper based on your original research. Thisassignment is divided into three parts: Writing Group; Prospectus; Final Draft. More details will be provided inclass. 55%

SUMMARY OF GRADES

Participation: 10%Critical Essay & Discussion: 35%Research Project in 3 parts 55%:

Reading & Writing Group: 15%Prospectus: 15%Final Draft: 25%

SCHEDULE OF READINGS &ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK THURSDAY

1:

Feb 9

Performing

Declarations

Introductions; overview of the course and syllabus

READ:

United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Declaration of Independence

2:

Feb 16

Introduction to

Agamben

READ:

From Giorgio Agamben: Sovereignty & Life:

Ernesto Laclau, "Bare Life or Social Indeterminacy?" (11-22); William E. Connolly, "The Complexities of

Sovereignty" (23-42); Steven DeCaroli, "Boundary Stones: Giorgio Agamben and the Field of Sovereignty"

(43-69); William Rasch, "From Sovereign Ban to Banning Sovereignty" (92-108); Paul Patton, "Agamben

and Foucault on Biopower and Biopolitics" (203-218)

3:

Feb 23

Bare Life

READ:

*Giorgio Agamben, Introduction of Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life

*Part I of Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life(1-70)

4: READ:


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Mar 2

Law: Oliphant &

Cherokee Cases

*Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe et al(1978)

Jill Norgren, The Cherokee Cases: Two Landmark Federal Decisions in the Fight for Sovereignty

5:

Mar 9Reservations

READ:

*John M. Findlay, An Elusive Institution: The Birth of Indian Reservations in Gold Rush California (13 -37)*John H. Moore, The Enduring Reservations of Oklahoma (92 -109)

*Frank W. Porter, Without Reservation: Federal Indian Policy and the Landless Tribes of Washington

(110-135)

6:

Mar 16

Allotment

READ:

*The Dawes Act (1887)

*Kristin Ruppel, selections from Unearthing Indian Land: Living with the Legacies of Allotment

7:

Mar 23

Jurisdiction

READ:

*Sidney Harring, Crow Dogs Case: American Indian Sovereignty, Tribal Law, and United States Law in the

Nineteenth Century (1-56)

*Steve Russell, Making Peace with Crow Dogs Ghost: Racialized Prosecution in Federal Indian Law

Wicazo Sa Review(Spring 2006): 61-76

*Sarah Deer, Decolonizing Rape Law: A Native Feminist Synthesis of Safety and Sovereignty Wicazo Sa

Review(Fall 2009): 149-167

DUE:

Prospectus

8:

Mar 30

Spring Break

9:

Apr 6

Urban Relocation

READ:

*Reyna K. Ramirez, Gathering Together in Hubs: Claiming Home and the Sacred in an Urban Area (58-83)

*David R.M. Beck, Developing a Voice: The Evolution of Self-Determination in an Urban Indian

Community Wicazo Sa Review(Fall 2002): 117-141

*Megan MacDonald, Indigenous Two-Spirit Identity in the Twin Cities Region (150-170)

DUE:

Report from writing group meeting 1

10:Apr 13

Indian Gaming:

Whos Winning?

READ:Jessica R. Cattelino, High Stakes: Florida Seminole Gaming and Sovereignty

*Mary Lawlor, Identity in Mashantucket (31-55)

DUE:

Report from writing group meeting 2

11:

Apr 20

National

Performativity

READ:

*Shari Huhndorf, Indigenous Feminism, Performance, and the Gendered Politics of Memory (105 -139)

*Wendy Kozol, Miss Indian America: Regulatory Gazes and the Politics of Affiliation Feminist Studies

31.1 (Spring, 2005): 64-94

*Michael A. Elliott, Indian Patriots on Last Stand Hill American Quarterly(2006): 987-1015

SCREEN IN CLASS:

Miss Navajo, dir. Billy Luther

DUE:Report from writing group meeting 3

12:

Apr 27

Literary

Nationalism and

Sovereignty

READ:

Craig Womack, Red on Red: Native American Literary Separatism(1-74)

Gerald Vizenor, The Heirs of Columbus

DUE:

Report from final writing group meeting

13:

May 4

READ:

Craig Womack, Red on Red: Native American Literary Separatism(75-310)


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Literary

Nationalism and

Sovereignty

Vizenor, The Heirs of Columbus, cont.

14:

Transnationalism &

Native AmericaMay 11

READ:

*Reyna K. Ramirez, Empowerment and Identity from the Hub: Indigenous Women from Mexico and the

United States (126-154); and Without Papers: A Transnational Hubon the Rights of IndigenousCommunities (155-170)

Final paper due: May 22, 11 am (no exceptions, no extensions)upload on Blackboard


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REQUIRED TEXTSBooks available in the Oberlin College bookstore

Calarco, Matthew and Steven DeCarole. Giorgio Agamben: Sovereignty and Life. Stanford, 2007.

Cattelino, Jessica R. High Stakes: Florida Seminole Gaming and Sovereignty. Durham: Duke University Press, 2008.

Norgren, The Cherokee Cases: Two Landmark Federal Decisions in the Fight for Sovereignty. University of Oklahoma

Press, 2004

Vizenor, Gerald. Heirs of Columbus(1991)

Womack, Craig. Red on Red: Native American Literary Separatism. Minneapolist: University of Minnesota Press,

1999

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ARTICLES/CHAPTERS*Articles will be available through email and Blackboard.

The Dawes Act of 1887

Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe et al(1978)

Agamben, Giorgio. Introduction and Part 1 of Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life, 1-70.

Beck, David R.M. Developinga Voice: The Evolution of Self-Determination in an Urban Indian Community

Wicazo Sa Review(Fall 2002): 117-141

Deer, Sarah Decolonizing Rape Law: A Native Feminist Synthesis of Safety and Sovereignty Wicazo Sa Review

(Fall 2009): 149-167.

Elliott, Michael A. Indian Patriots on Last Stand HillAmerican Quarterly(2006): 987-1015.

Findlay, John M. An Elusive Institution: The Birth of Indian Reservations in Gold Rush California.State and

Reservation: New Perspectives on Federal Indian Policy. Ed. George Pierre Castile and Robert L. Bee. Tucson:

The University of Arizona Press, 1992. 13-37.

Harring, Sidney. CrowDogs Case: American Indian Sovereignty, Tribal Law, and United States Law in the

Nineteenth Century

Huhndorf, Shari. Mapping the Americas: The Transnational Politics of Contemporary Native Culture. Cornell UP, 2009.


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Kozol, Wendy. Miss Indian America: Regulatory Gazes and the Politics of Affiliation Feminist Studies

31.1 (Spring, 2005): 64-94.

Larson, Sidner. Making Sense of Federal Indian Law Wicazo Sa Review(Spring 2005): 9-21.

Lawlor, Mary. Identity in Mashantucket. Public Native America: Tribal Self-Representations in Museums, Powwows, and

Casinos. Rutgers University Press, 2006. 31-55.

MacDonald, Megan. Indigenous Two-Spirit Identity in the Twin Cities Region. Queer Twin Cities. Ed. Kevin P.

Murphy. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010.

Moore, John H. The Enduring Reservations of Oklahoma.State and Reservation: New Perspectives on Federal Indian

Policy. Ed. George Pierre Castile and Robert L. Bee. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1992. 92-

109.

Porter, Frank W. Without Reservation: Federal Indian Policy and the Landless Tribes of Washington. State and

Reservation: New Perspectives on Federal Indian Policy. Ed. George Pierre Castile and Robert L. Bee. Tucson:

The University of Arizona Press, 1992. 110-135.

Ramirez Reyna K. selections from Native Hubs: Culture, Community, Belonging in the Silicon Valley and Beyond.

Durham: Duke UP, 2007.

Ruppel, Kristin selections from Unearthing Indian Land: Living with the Legacies of Allotment. University of Arizona

Press, 2008.

Russell, Steve. Making Peace with Crow Dogs Ghost: Racialized Prosecution in Federal Indian Law Wicazo Sa

Review(Spring 2006): 61-76.

Documents

Sovereignty and Native Americans