Community & Nation Building and Peacemaking in Native North America

Catalog description

Tribal Nations in the United States and Indigenous peoples all over the world are building and rebuilding their communities, nations, and governance structures after long-term colonization, oppression, and control. In their development efforts these nations and peoples confront and address conflict and disputes that originate from both internal and external sources. In this class we will discuss various paths, patterns, and possibilities of indigenous community and nation building and conflict resolution, with an emphasis on American Indian Tribes. Our discussions will focus on four areas: People (Human Capital Development), Policy (Organizational Development/Institutions), Place (Community Infrastructure Development/Environmental Support), & Pecuniary Possibilities (Economic Development); how The People Gather Ground & Grow (which is accomplished by all peoples and nations around the world). Course lectures, readings, and assignments shall help students further study governance issues related to Leadership, Land, Laissez Faire (i.e. sovereignty), and Law. Students will also be introduced to methods and practices of Peacemaking that Tribes currently employ in family and community conflict and discuss potential larger applications in intra and inter-tribal, as well as government to government disputes. Students will leave the class with the ability to analyze governance development processes using a comprehensive approach that places community and nation building issues in a useful and practical perspective and paradigm. This approach, supplemented with examples of other Tribal practices, will help students focus on and balance primary considerations that support cooperation and help confront and resolve conflict.