This course will examine several themes: conflicts over which government has sovereign control over which resources; the role that tribal governments play in natural resource allocation and management; questions relating to ownership of natural resources; changing federal policies relating to natural resources allocation; the role of federal courts, Congress and Executive branches in relation to the trust responsibilities to protect tribal lands and resources; environmental protection, including EPA policy in relation to Indian Reservations; and natural resources development and management.

 

A synthesis of several legal principles related to Federal Indian law and environmental law will unite these thematic discussions including the scope of tribal sovereignty, perspectives on self-determination and the commons paradigm in relation to Native American resource management.

 

All students are required to attend class regularly, to do the reading before class, and to participate actively. This includes a degree of analytical development regarding issues raised by the reading and not merely a descriptive summary.