University of Oregon Native American and Indigenous Studies

UO Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) is an interdisciplinary field that uses multiple approaches from history, anthropology, law, literature, ethnic studies, and other disciplines to understand contemporary Native American and Indigenous lives. In our classes and in our research, we examine Native American and Indigenous identities, practices, histories, cultures, and political statuse

s in context from the earliest times until the present. We highlight the unique place of tribes in the state-tribal-federal intergovernmental matrix and the myriad distinct issues Native peoples of the United States face, from language and cultural protection to environmental issues to economic development and beyond. In Native American and Indigenous Studies, we cherish our connections with Indigenous communities, and we try to make our work valuable to the project of building up Native nations. Most Americans are only vaguely aware of tribal governments and how they fit into other governmental structures, and even fewer have contemplated what limited forms of tribal sovereignty say about American democratic ideals. In a state with nine federally recognized Indigenous nations and a Native American population 50% higher proportionally than the national average, this is critical information for future leaders in all fields. The Native American and Indigenous Studies major and minor provide access to Indigenous ways of knowing and living that are part of the heritage and future of this state and this nation.