Tribal Government Today: Politics On Montana Indian Reservations (Westview Special Studies) - Softcover

Lopach, James J; Brown, Margery Hunter; Clow, Richmond L

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0813378680 ISBN 13: 9780813378688

Publisher: Westview Press, 1990

Synopsis

An account of Fourth World peoples within a First World nation, Tribal Government Today, Revised Edition is a critical analysis of the contemporary progress of Indian tribes toward self-government and economic sufficiency. Focusing on seven reservations in Montana representing the diverse opportunies and problems facing Indian tribes in the West, the book approaches tribal government from the twin perspectives of reservation politics and the legal context within which reservation conflicts must be solved.

Unlike previous studies of Indian politics, Tribal Government Today is neither a critique of American Indian policy over the years nor an analysis of federal, state, and tribal jurisdictional ambiguities. The authors -- a political scientist, a lawyer, and a historian -- focus instead on the distinctive political culture that has evolved on each reservation in terms of the reservation setting, governmental structures and procedures, and a particular brand of politics. The critical inquiry is how far the reservations are from genuine self-determination and whether that goal is an impossibility for some. The authors conclude with suggestions for reforming tribal government within three main areas: the separation of powers, the role of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and tribal acceptance of the concept of fundamental law.

About this title

About the Author:

Richmond L. Clow is a professor of Native American Studies at the University of Montana.

About this edition

• Publisher: Westview Press
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0813378680
• ISBN 13: 9780813378688
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 193