Fall 2012 Symposium

A few years before his untimely death the renowned Indian law scholar Phillip Frickey delivered a lecture at the University of Kansas citing the “failure of scholarship in federal Indian law” to “grapple with the law on the ground in Indian country” or to educate a judiciary that has little knowledge of Native culture.  In the aftermath of Professor Frickey’s critique of the abstract writing of law professors, some academics accepted his challenge and expanded their scholarship to address the problems requiring solutions in Indian country. Many of these efforts have been accomplished in partnership with tribal leaders and in response to their expressed needs.  Yet significantly more needs to be done.  In the face of increasing hostility to Indian law claims in the federal courts, it is imperative for Indian law scholars to assume some of the responsibility for educating the judiciary about Indian country.  Moreover, as courthouse doors are closing, it is necessary for tribes, their counsel, and Indian law scholars to expand their audiences and to search for remedies beyond the courts.

This symposium will highlight the challenges facing tribal communities today and ways in which Indian law scholarship has contributed to tackling the issues “on the ground in Indian country.” While recognizing the success stories, the participants will also be encouraged to redouble their efforts, to stretch themselves beyond their usual comfort zones, and to raise the bar for the academy.

Symposium Co-Sponsors

The Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues is housed at UC Berkeley’s Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI). The Center’s mission is to provide the people of Indian country with pragmatic research products that can be employed to improve the quality of life for Native Americans throughout the U.S.  The Center fulfills this mission by bringing the resources of the University to Native communities; developing, coordinating and funding collaborative, community-driven research projects; providing technical assistance and training; disseminating research publications and reports;and hosting conferences, colloquia and other events open to the public on topics of concern to Native communities.

For more information visit:  http://crnai.berkeley.edu/    

Native American Law Students Association at Berkeley Law  
Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) seeks to increase the number of Native American law professors, attorneys, judges, and public service entrepreneurs participating in the legal community, which includes both urban and rural Native American communities. In pursuit of this goal, NALSA is committed to the recruitment of Native American students to Berkeley Law. Although NALSA is committed to serving the American Indian community whenever possible, our first priority is to provide the academic and social support necessary to successfully complete three years at Berkeley Law. In meeting this necessity, NALSA also functions as a peer-support organization.

For more information e-mail: nalsa@law.berkeley.edu