Law Review and Journal Articles

Law Review and Journal Articles

Law review and journal articles were extremely helpful in obtaining information on this topic. The nature of indigenous studies makes theses sources of particular importance because much of the "law" is theoretical and encompasses individual viewpoints on how native peoples should be treated, rather than concrete legislation passed by the federal government. Additionally, much of the law is based on treaties and abstract Constitutional provisions which are subject to various interpretations. As a result, the writings of indigenous studies scholars becomes extremely helpful when attempting to decipher the relevant law.

I have sifted, skimmed, and read through countless law review and journal articles dealing with indigenous rights in the United States and Canada. I searched for the articles on both Lexis and Westlaw and obtained countless articles from each source. The following is a list of those I found most resourceful. The most helpful are listed first.

Fragile Gains: Two Centuries of Canadian and United States Policy Toward Indians

By: Ralph W. Johnson
Source: Washington Law Review
CITE: 66 Wash. L. Rev. 643
This was the single most resourceful article I found on my topic. The article gave a detailed account of the history of aboriginal land claims and rights in both the United States and Canada. The article included a comprehensive discussion of past and present policies and laws of both countries and compared the two. In addition, it traced the origins of native rights from the Constitutions, legislation, and case law of the two countries.
Table of Contents:

              INTRODUCTION .............................................................. 645
              I. THE HISTORICAL SETTING ............................................... 646
                    A. Aboriginal Claims ................................................. 646
                    B. National Policies v. Implementation ............................... 647
                    C. Knowledge of Indian History ....................................... 648
            II. HISTORICAL POLICY TOWARDS INDIANS .................................... 654
                    A. The United States: A Historical Perspective ....................... 654
                            1. Treaties as Land Transactions .................................. 656
                            2. Treaties Construed In Favor of Indians ......................... 656
                            3. The 1887 Allotment Act: Assimilation Accelerated ............... 658
                            4. The 1934 Indian Reorganization Act and Self-Determination ...... 661
                            5. The Termination Policy: Public Law 280 ......................... 662
                            6. Self-Determination Adopted as National Policy .................. 663
                            7. Whittling Sovereignty Away: The Supreme Court's Recent Trend ... 664
                                    a. Tribal Court Criminal Jurisdiction .......................... 664
                                    b. Tribal Court Civil Jurisdiction: Preemption Analysis ........ 665
                    B. Canada ............................................................ 666
                            1. Assimilation Policy Formally Adopted ........................... 668
                            2. Treaty Interpretation in Canada ................................ 670
                            3. Subjugation Under the Indian Act ............................... 673
                            4. Termination in Canada: A Short-Lived 'Era' ..................... 674
                            5. Canada Begins To Recognize Aboriginal Rights ................... 675
                            6. Academics and Lawyers Take Up the Indian Cause ................. 675
        III. ABORIGINAL RIGHTS .................................................... 678
                    A. The United States ................................................. 678
                    B. Canada ............................................................ 680
                            1. Canadian Hostility Toward Aboriginal Rights .................... 680
                            2. Recent Canadian Recognition of Aboriginal Rights ............... 682
                            3. Sparrow v. The Queen Requires Judicial Review of Laws .......... 683
        IV. FEDERAL POWERS REGARDING NATIVE AMERICANS AND NATIVE CANADIANS ....... 684
                    A. The United States ................................................. 684
                            1. The Plenary Power of Congress over Indians and the Indian Commerce Clause......... 684
                            2. All Indian Treaties Have Been at Least Partially Abrogated ..... 685
                            3. The Trust Relationship in the United States .................... 686
                    B. Canada ............................................................ 687
                            1. The Indian Act Stifles Tribal Governments ...................... 688
                            2. The Trust Relationship in Canada ............................... 689
                            3. Does the Sparrow Concept Fit the United States? ................ 692
        V. STATE AND PROVINCIAL POWER OVER INDIANS .............................. 695
                    A. United States ..................................................... 695
                    B. Canada ............................................................ 698
        VI. INDIAN SELF-GOVERNMENT ............................................... 700
                    A. The United States ................................................. 700
                             1. Federal Delegation of Environmental Control to Indian Tribes ... 704
                             2. The Power To Exclude ........................................... 706
                             3. Tribal Legislatures and Tribal Courts .......................... 707
                    B. Canada ............................................................ 708
                            1. Federal Delegation of Environmental Control to First Nations ... 712
                            2. Tribal Courts .................................................. 712
        VII. CONCLUSION ........................................................... 712

Distributing Sovereignty: Indian Nations and Equality of Peoples

By: Patrick Macklem
Source: Stanford Law Review, May 1993
CITE: 45 Stan. L. Rev. 1311
This was an extremely informative source because it discussed my topic right on. The first part of the article was the most helpful as it gave an introduction to Indian government and the major issues surrounding it. It went on to give a detailed account of the treatment of indigenous groups in the United States and then thoroughly discussed the policies toward first nations that Canada employs. The most helpful portion of the article, however, was a comparison between the two countries policies which highlighted the differences and similarities.
Table of Contents:

I. INTRODUCTION ............................................... 1312
II. INDIAN GOVERNMENT IN NORTH AMERICA ......................... 1316
        A. United States ........................................... 1317
        B. Canada .................................................. 1320
        C. Similarities ............................................ 1323
        D. Racial or Political? .................................... 1324
III. INDIAN GOVERNMENT AND PRIOR OCCUPANCY ...................... 1327
        A. The Relevance of Prior Occupancy ........................ 1327
        B. Prior Occupancy as Proxy ................................ 1329
                1. Immigration and consent ............................. 1330
                2. The role of treaties ................................ 1331
                3. Prior occupancy and historic wrongs ................. 1332
        C. Prior Sovereignty ....................................... 1333
IV. INDIAN GOVERNMENT AND CULTURAL RELATIVISM .................. 1335
        A. Strengths of Cultural Relativism ........................ 1337
                1. Universality and indeterminacy ...................... 1338
                2. Universality and ethnocentrism ...................... 1340
        B. Weaknesses of Cultural Relativism ....................... 1341
                1. The logic of relativism ............................. 1341
                2. Relativism and intolerance .......................... 1342
                3. Relativism and cultural identity .................... 1343
                4. The instability of relativism ....................... 1344
V. INDIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF SOVEREIGNTY ...... 1345
        A. Sovereignty's Double Aspect ............................. 1346
        B. Sovereignty and Intercultural Agreement ................. 1348
        C. Sovereignty and Indigenous Difference ................... 1349
VI. INDIAN GOVERNMENT AND EQUALITY OF PEOPLES .................. 1350
        A. Conceptions of Equality ................................. 1350
                1. Equality and cultural specificity ................... 1351
                2. Equality and the nature of the good ................. 1352
                3. Kymlicka and equality of individuals ................ 1353
        B. Two Principles .......................................... 1355
                1. Formal equality of peoples .......................... 1357
                2. Substantive equality of peoples ..................... 1360
        C. Equality of Peoples and Other Cultural Groups ........... 1363
        D. Equality of Peoples and Constitutional Interpretation ... 1365
VII. CONCLUSION ................................................. 1366

A Comparative Analysis Of The History Of United States And Federal Policies Regarding Native Self-Government

By: Jean M. Silveri
Source: Suffolk Transnational Law Review, Spring 1993
CITE: 16 Suffolk Transnat’l L. Rev. 618
This is a great article for background information on the historical treatment of indigenous peoples in both the United States and Canada. It is relatively short for a law review, yet gives an informative account of the detailed history between indigenous groups and the federal governments of these countries. Very helpful for a general overview of the historical treatment of indigenous groups in the United States and Canada.
Table of Contents:

Introduction…………………………………………………………….618
History of the United States Federal Policy Regarding Native American Self-Government……………………………………………………….620
History of the Canadian Federal Policy Regarding Native Canadian Self-Government…………………………………………………………….639
Comparative Analysis of United States and Canadian Federal Policy Regarding Native Peoples………………………………………………656
Conclusion……………………………………………………………...667

Indians Against Immigrants—Old Rivals, New Rules: A Brief Review Comparison of Indian Law in the Contiguous United States, Alaska, and Canada

By: James E. Torgerson
Source: American Indian Law Review, 1989
CITE: 14 Am. Indian L. Rev.57
This article is great for a brief overview of the history of Indian Law in both the United States and Canada. It briefly describes the historical policies of each country and the current status of indigenous groups in each country. The Alaska discussion is a bit superfluous for the topic, but the rest of the article is helpful to get a quick feel for the law in each country, how it developed, and it where it stands today.
Table of Contents:

Introduction……………………………………………………………57
History…………………………………………………………………57

United States………………………………………………………58
Alaska……………………………………………………………...62
Canada……………………………………………………………..63

Special Relationships…………………………………………………..66

United States………………………………………………………..67
Alaska………………………………………………………………70
Canada……………………………………………………………...72

Property Interests……………………………………………………….77

United States………………………………………………………..77
Alaska……………………………………………………………….80
Canada………………………………………………………………83

Jurisdiction………………………………………………………………86

United States………………………………………………………...87
Alaska……………………………………………………………….90
Canada………………………………………………………………94

Analysis…………………………………………………………………96

Sparrow and Lone Wolf: Honoring Tribal Rights In Canada And The United States

By: Matthew D. Wells
Source: Washington Law Review, October 1991
CITE: 66 Wash. L. Rev. 1119
This is an excellent source for researching the case law that had the greatest influence in the development of Indian Law in both the United States and Canada. The article highlights the major Supreme Court decisions relating to native rights and the implications of these holdings in both the United States and Canada. American case law has played a major role in defining the status of native nations both domestically and in Canada. This article discusses just how great an influence the American courts have had on Canada's Indian Law.

Indian Giver: The Illusion of Effective Legal Redress For Native American Land Claims

By: Susan Lope
Source: Southwestern University Law Review, 1994
CITE: 23 Sw. U. L. Rev. 331
This article gives a close look at United States Indian policy throughout history. It gives a comprehensive overview of the various policies employed by the Federal government in dealing with native peoples and the evolution of sovereignty and self-determination. It provides a thorough look at how Indian law developed in the United States and where it stands today.

The Nunavut Agreement: A Model For Preserving Indigenous Rights

By: Alexandra Kersey
Source: Arizona Journal Of International and Comparative Law, 1994
CITE: 11 Ariz. J. Int’l & Comp. L. 429

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