Native American Issues: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues) - Hardcover

Thompson, William N.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0874368286 ISBN 13: 9780874368284

Publisher: ABC-CLIO, 1996

Synopsis

The first settlers of the North American continent formed a multitude of societies and enjoyed exclusive occupation of over seven million square miles of land. Today their descendants are relegated to lands totaling less than 50,000 square miles. Native American Issues focuses on the contemporary political issues surrounding the confinement of native peoples to limited lands in the United States and Canada.

Also discussed is the status and powers of native governments and the health, wealth, and education of native peoples. Biographical sketches, a chronology of events, selected legislation, significant court cases, facts and figures, quotations, presidential proclamations, and lists of print and nonprint resources complete this extensive work.

About this title

About the Author

William N. Thompson is professor of public administration at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV.

Reviews

Grade 9 Up. This book brings a semblance of order to the highly complex subject of contemporary Native America. A lengthy introductory chapter presents a narrative overview of major issues in the U.S. as well as Canadian Native America?a welcome addition often overlooked in similar titles. The author includes clear and accurate summaries of such critical topics as land claims, sacred sites, religious freedom, gaming on reservations, political jurisdiction, and water rights. The chronology highlights events affecting Native sovereignty, as do the profiles of Native leaders past and present. Thompson also includes two unique sections that provide additional perspectives on Native issues: one on court cases and legislation, and another that features quotations on sovereignty by both Natives and, uniquely, U.S. presidents. Also provided are directories of federal, state, and Native offices and organizations dealing with Native rights and issues; a bibliography of government reports, reference works, books, and periodicals; and a listing of nonprint and Internet sites. A brief but thoughtful glossary and detailed index round out this useful volume. Highly recommended for all libraries for its contemporary focus, incorporation of Canadian Natives and issues, and clear explanations of an important but largely misunderstood segment of American society.?Lisa Mitten, University of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This handbook attempts to add perspective and analysis to the sort of facts already found in several good reference works. In his lenghthy introduction, Thompson (public administration, Univ. of Missouri) discusses indigenous North Americans in the context of an explication of sovereignty and presents gambling's relationship to Native American economic development, an approach not taken in other Native American reference works. A useful chapter collects court cases, legislation, and statistics, and, as in most other works of this sort, an organization directory and annotated bibliography are included. The Points of View section is perhaps the most useful, excerpting the now poignant words of Native leaders in response to two centuries of majority action. This volume's weaknesses include a detailed but sloppily written and uneven chronology and a too-brief glossary that should have included pronunciation. Also, the biographical sketches include Native leaders throughout history but only list opposing European leaders prior to the 20th century. Ultimately, this book tries to do too much and fails. Too broad and not sufficiently deep, it is an imperfect match for the "Contemporary World Issues" series; many pieces do not treat current Native concerns, and in some cases considerable scholarship is needed to separate fact from opinion. Comprehensive collections could consider, but small and medium collections would be better served by the Native North American Almanac (Gale, 1994), a more clearly organized source for much of the ready-reference information covered here. (Preface and index not seen.)?Glynys Thomas, Suffolk Univ. Lib., Boston
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0874368286
• ISBN 13: 9780874368284
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 1