PA5963

The State of Minnesota occupies and shares geography with many sovereign Indian nations. Tribal jurisdiction impacts thousands of acres of land in Minnesota both within and beyond reservation boundaries, and tribes are among the top 20 employers in the state. While tribes share prominent nation-to-nation diplomatic relationships with the U.S. federal government, tribal relationships with state agencies are increasingly significant. Since the administration of Governor Jesse Ventura, each Minnesota governor has implemented an executive order focused on state relations with Indian nations. In 2021, the body of policy associated with those executive orders was passed into law and codified in a state statute providing a considerable mandate for state agencies to develop and implement tribal consultation policies and to build associated partnerships.

This class introduces participants to the legal and policy contexts in which contemporary tribal-state relations occur. We will explore the shifting history of federal Indian policy, the often-contentious past of tribal-state interactions, current emphases on building government-to-government relationships, and potential future trends. Participants will engage with elected tribal leaders and with the Tribal-State Relations Training program delivered to state employees through a partnership between the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, MnDOT, and the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Sovereignty Institute. Students will consider how their own civic and professional trajectories may connect to Indian nations, and collaboratively draw conceptual and practical links between tribal affairs and other areas of study.

012079

Every Fall