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AnthropologyCultural Anthropology

Nationality vs Ethnicity: Are Indian Tribes Sovereign Nations?

Answer MIT's four-part discussion about tribal sovereignty, nationhood, and the difference between Indigenous political communities and immigrant ethnic groups.

Question

MIT 21A.226, Ethnic and National Identity, Fall 2011Lecture 2: Study questions on Gladney 1–24, Nagel 3–13, Eriksen 1–1715. Are Indian tribes sovereign nations? If not, should they be? If not, are they nations? How do they differ from immigrant ethnic groups?

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Evidence boundary

This is an independently reasoned response to MIT's Fall 2011 discussion question, not an MIT answer key. Legal statements are limited to the general status of federally recognized U.S. tribes described by Indian Affairs; the 'should' question is normative. Nationhood, ethnic identity, tribal citizenship, and international statehood are distinguished, and no uniform legal status is inferred for all Indigenous groups.