I want to mention a recent article that I think many readers of Native-L
and Natchat may find interesting.
> From latest issue of American Sociological Review (typically found in most
college libraries--it is the the MAIN sociology journal) the following
article appeared:
Nagel, Joane. 1995. "Americ Indian Ethnic Renewal: Politics and the
Resurgence of Identity." American Sociological Review 60:6(Dec.):947-965.
She examines data on changes in ethnic identity over the last couple of
decades, focusing particularly on people who had previously identified
themselves as "white" and now chose some "Indian" identity. One of the
causes she advances for this change was the rise of activism, especially
AIM. While "wannabees" may be a small part of the change, much seems to be
people who found new pride and sense of self and stopped hiding their
"Indian" ancestry. The article is, in my view, very readable, and does a
good job of explaining the SOCIOLOGICAL issues for nonsociologists. I will
be using it in my 1st & 2nd year classes.
Joane Nagel also has a book coming out soon:
_American Indian Ethnic Renewal: Red Power and the Resurgence of Identity
and Culture_ Oxford University Press. Due out this spring
I should mention that Joane is a friend and fellow sociologist whose work I
have always respected. This is some of her very best work.
I should also point that I [and I think Joane, though I will not presume to
speak for her] am not claiming that this is the "final word," or that
sociologists have a monopoly on the "truth" about ethnic identity. We do,
most of the time, contribute "a truth" in digging up facts as best they can
be known and interpret them within theoretical models and use them to
correct those models. Over the last few years there have been many debates
about "who is Indian" on NL & NC, and I think this article and the
subsequent book will shed some light on the debates, and I hope take them
to a new level of sophistication for all parties and all views.
I forgot to mention that census data is richly supplemented with interviews
with AIM and non AIM people.
tom hall