Native American and Indigenous studies is an interdisciplinary field that uses approaches from history, anthropology, law, literature, ethnic/gender/sexuality studies, and other disciplines to understand contemporary Native American lives. In classes and in research, students examine Native American and Indigenous identities, practices, politics, histories, and cultures in context from the earliest times until the present. The program highlights the unique place of Indigenous peoples in legal and political systems as well as the myriad distinct issues Native peoples of the United States face, from language and cultural protection to environmental issues to economic development and beyond.
Native American and Indigenous studies cherishes connections with Native communities, making its work valuable to the project of building up Native nations. Most Americans are only vaguely aware of tribal governments and how they fit into other governmental structures, and even fewer have contemplated what limited forms of tribal sovereignty say about American democratic ideals. In a state with nine federally recognized Indigenous nations and a Native American population 50 percent higher proportionally than the national average, this is critical information for future leaders in all fields.