Review
Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies provides a framework for appreciating how tribal and federal actions impact conditions within Indian country. Presenting this information from a tribal perspective increases understanding of legal concepts and principles, makes the materials more culturally responsive, and provides a solid educational tool for enhancing protection of tribal interests and resources. This work provides a good starting point. (Maylinn Smith )
I have been involved in adult legal education in Indian Country for most of my career, so when I got a copy of the galley print of this work, I knew what I had in mind to evaluate it. This book is suited for adult learners because they do not have to have a law dictionary at hand and they can get the basic principles in steps so that by the time they finish reading this work, and any course based on it, they will have entered the portal of law.
Yaat'eeh. It is good. (The Honorable Robert Yazzie )
Written in clear, straightforward language,
Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies is a long-needed, outstanding textbook for the study of tribal justice systems which will be useful to a broad range of students—from high school through law school. It is a remarkable work due to its commitment to protecting tribal sovereignty and cultural integrity, while simultaneously helping the readers utilize its principles in their own tribal communities. (Jill E. Tompkins )
I have taught undergraduate courses in Tribal Law at several universities and have been amazed at the lack of available resources and texts.
Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies will fill the void in the field and provide an avenue for expanded course offerings. I am particularly impressed with the authors' approach to tribal law and their extensive use of primary tribal documents such as tribal court opinions and tribal code provisions. I would recommend this manuscript for use in a variety of courses and will use the materials myself. (Stacy L. Leeds )
Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies is an impressive collection of primary and secondary materials, arranged with critical commentary, provocative questions, and intriguing pedagogical exercises. The book presents law as a social and cultural construct, interdisciplinary and comparative in the best legal studies tradition. It offers a powerful, historically-rooted, and forward-looking curricular foundation for the study of tribal legal systems and federal Indian law. It is a major contribution to scholarly research, teaching, and institution building. (Peter d'Errico, Emeritus Professor of Legal Studies )
About the Author
Justin B. Richland is coordinator of the Hopi Customary Law Project and consultant to the Hopi Appellate Court since 1996. He received his J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.A. in Anthropology from University of California at Los Angeles, where he is currently a doctoral candidate in Anthropology. His research interests concern the roles that customs, traditions, and culture play in contemporary indigenous jurisprudence.
Sarah Deer is staff attorney at the Tribal Law and Policy Institute and an instructor of Tribal Legal Studies for UCLA Extension. She is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, and received her J.D. and Certificate in Tribal Law from the University of Kansas. Formerly, she worked at the United States Department of Justice in the Office on Violence Against Women.
