Uneven Ground: American Indian Sovereignty and Federal Law

In the early 1970s, the federal government began recognizing self-determination for American Indian nations. As sovereign entities, Indian nations have been able to establish policies concerning health care, education, religious freedom, law enforcement, gaming, and taxation. Yet these gains have not gone unchallenged. Starting in the late 1980s, states have tried to regulate and profit from casino gambling on Indian lands. Treaty rights to hunt, fish, and gather remain hotly contested, and traditional religious practices have been denied protection. Tribal courts struggle with state and federal courts for jurisdiction.

David E. Wilkins is E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond, coauthor of Uneven Ground: American Indian Sovereignty and Federal Law, and author of Red Prophet: The Punishing Intellectualism of Vine Deloria, Jr.