American Indian Politics and the American Political System

Since American Indians and Alaskan Natives are the indigenous peoples of North America, why do we fail to acknowledge them as having the first forms of national government?

Indian nations are sovereign. This work gives an introduction to the history, structure, and function of tribal governments, their relationship to contemporary American politics, and the rights of individual Indians who are often caught in between these frequently contentious sovereigns.

As the author shows, American Indian politics today is an elaborate braid of tribal government, American citizenship, indigenous activism, economic development, media attention, and cultural identity.