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Inventing the Savage: The Social Construction of Native American Criminality

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This book is a model of what research on Native communities should look like. Ross allows Native women in prison to tell their stories, and then she brilliantly contextualizes these stories within the larger context of racism, sexism, and colonialism. Unlike so many other books on Native communities, she does not portray Native peoples as tragic characters, but demonstrates the ways they resist oppression. A must read

Luana Ross demonstrates superb scholarship by weaving a rich variety of sources, including written documents and oral interviews. The result is a work which provides voice for the women prisoners, in particular Native American women prisoners. This ground breaking book provides an analytical portrayal of the experiences of these women. She sets it within the framework of realities of life in Montana, as well as, larger concepts of racism and colonization. Inventing the Savage is a must read book in the field.