Reviews for Landscapes and Communities on the Pacific Rim: Cultural Perspectives from Asia to the Pacific Northwest

The average rating for Landscapes and Communities on the Pacific Rim: Cultural Perspectives from Asia to the Pacific Northwest based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-10-27 00:00:00 Joseph Skaff A collection of essays about American Indian history, especially in regards to law and policy. The first section deals with American Indian identity, mainly issues of race and recognition. One essay by Suzan Shown Harjo discusses sports team names (circa 1992) and is an interesting explanation of legal background. There is an essay on Tribal Nationalism by James Parker Shield that discusses the recognition (or lack) of different tribes, focussing on the Chippewa. Ray Gardner then provides an essay about federal recognition issues faced by the Chinook Nation. The second section is about Art and Expression. There are essays about art, museums, the "skull wars"--museums thinking it is okay to display the skulls of American Indians without any consent. This, of course, is directly related to NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act). The third section is about education. Earl Barlow writes a provocative essay on the difference between state and federal education in regards to American Indians. There is an essay about immersion programs and whether or not universities can help with language issues. Gerald Gipp writes a good essay about the challenges of tribal colleges--asking whether or not these colleges are actually meeting the needs of the students we serve. But I absolutely love the essay "The Rise and Fall of Native American Studies in the United States" by Duane Champagne because it discusses some of the issues surrounding NAS/AIS program (keep in mind: I am in an AIS program at the University of Arizona). The fourth section is Media, and is sorely lacking. It only has two essays--which I guess speaks to the essay on a lack of press coverage (because this book lacks in this area too!). The fifth section is about politics and law, discussing voting and federal Indian laws and policies. Again, seems like they could have had a few more chapters here. The sixth section is about water and land, and is great for those looking and environmental issues in regards to American Indian peoples/places. Here there are only two essays but both are well written and add to the collection. Overall, 4/5 stars because there are some areas that are unbalanced in terms of chapters.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-03-27 00:00:00 Robert Marino Tough read but great information.