Keynote conferences > In the wake of McGirt: Indigenous Nationhood, Tribal economics, and the interplay of scholarship and sovereignty

IN THE WAKE OF MCGIRT: INDIGENOUS NATION, INDIGENOUS ECONOMIES, AND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SOVEREIGNTY AND SCHOLARSHIP

                                              Wednesday, June 14 from 2:45 to 3:45 pm

                                                                 Palais Hirsh, Grand Amphithéâtre

Speaker: Brian Hosmer is a senior scholar in American Indian history and studies who has presented research at multiple symposia and conferences. His work pivots around intersections between economic change and tribal nationhood in the 20 th century. Hosmer’s most important publications include American Indians in the Marketplace, Native Pathways, Tribal Worlds, and American Indians and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman. For several years he directed the Newberry Library’s celebrated D’Arcy McNickle Center for Native and Indigenous Studies. He currently serves as Head of the Department of History at Oklahoma State University.

Presentation

The US Supreme Court’s landmark decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020) potentially reorders relationships between tribal nations and US States. While limited to criminal jurisdiction in specific areas, the overheated reaction on the part of state officials coupled with the tribes’ cautious yet firm assertions of sovereignty suggests more than at first meets the eye. Where a century ago, indigenous nations were pushed aside in the drive for Oklahoma statehood, today’s descendant organizations are far more formidable. This change to the balance of relationships rests to a significant degree on the economic power of tribal nations and how it translates to political influence. This paper considers the tribal economics and sovereignty through two standpoints: first, the growth of scholarly interest in economic change inside and around Indigenous nations; and second, the dramatic growth and transformation of tribal economies. This paper asks us to consider relationships between how scholars understand indigenous economies and the practices of tribal governments themselves.

Debate moderated byMarie Plassart (LARHRA, Université Lumière Lyon 2)

With the support of Triangle UMR 5206