ZOLTÁN GROSSMAN Faculty member in Geography and Native American Studies, The Evergreen State College Lab 1, Room 3012, 2700 Evergreen Parkway, NW Olympia, WA 98505 USA grossmaz@evergreen.edu Office (360) 867-6153

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GEOGRAPHY / AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES 322 / 522

NATIVE GEOGRAPHIES

 

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE,

FALL 2004

 

Syllabus subject to revisions (via e-mail);

bookmark on-line syllabus at www.uwec.edu/grossmzc/native.html

 

Hours and Rooms	Case Studies & Final Project
Course Goals	Exercises
Books and Readings	Exams
Grading	COURSE SCHEDULE
Attendance, discussion, and field trips	Baccalaureate degree

 

TRIBAL NATIONS CASE STUDIES

 

HOURS AND ROOMS

Class in Phillips 104, 12:00 pm MWF

Professor Zoltán Grossman,

grossmzc@uwec.edu 

 

Office in 258 Phillips Hall, 836-4471

Office hours 9:00-9:50, 11:00-11:50 MW

 

COURSE GOALS

 

Native Geographies covers the historical and contemporary relationships of American Indians to place, including land use and environmental issues, indigenous mapping techniques, sacred sites, territorial nationhood, and legal rights to ceded and sovereign lands. Native Geographies will focus on place and territorial identity in the historical and contemporary life of North American Indians and as a result, provides insight regarding other indigenous (Native) peoples around the world. The course may touch on, but not emphasize, Native themes that are not related to place. The course is in three thematic sections: 1. Historical/Cultural, 2. Political/Legal, and 3. Environment/Mapping.

Native peoples are often viewed as a minor adjunct within a general ethnic studies approach that treats them merely as a racial minority. The unique status of indigenous nations can be better understood by highlighting the centrality of territory in Native identity, and the strong Native connections to place. These connections can be seen in the legal field, in the emphasis on Native territorial sovereignty and a continuing attachment to treaty-ceded lands. The connection can be seen in the cultural field, in the focus on traditional natural resource use and protection of sacred sites. The connection can also be seen in the environmental field, in the tribal stress on resource protection and sustainable planning. All of these connections have been expressed geographically, through indigenous cartographies and modern mapping techniques.

Geography, or the study of place, allows us to break down boundaries between disciplines, and particularly boundaries between human beings and the rest of nature. The geographic approach treats "place" not only as a single "site," but as a "location" (linked to other places through networks) and as partly defined by a "sense of place." The examination of "sense of place," in particular, allows students to use geography to examine Native cultural values, environmental ethics, and continuing attachment to "sacred sites." The course will view Western legal doctrines through geographic lenses, such as the territorial basis of treaties and sovereign tribal entities. The course will place a heavy emphasis on cartography, including precolonial indigenous mapping, Western approaches to mapping indigenous lands, the definition of Native "nationhood" through mapping, and more recent Native "countermapping" to strengthen cultural and territorial autonomy.

The course will include  lectures offering thematic angles that transcend the tribal nations, using various modes of geographical analysis. It will also involve guest lectures,  videos, and class discussions and presentations to compare and contrast our different case studies. You are encouraged to use critical thinking skills in interpreting the readings, videos, and lectures.

Written skills are enhanced through the series of exercises and exam essays. Oral and listening skills are enhanced through in-class discussions, and interactions with Native guest lecturers and field trip guides. Cultural diversity skills will be infused throughout the course, and Native perspectives will be presented to balance dominant perspectves in the larger society. This course uses geography as a "common ground" for strengthening intercultural communication. Students will understand differences and potential meetings points between Native and Western cultural value systems, and understand differences between and among tribes, and and American Indians' ability to define and set their own social, cultural, and spatial boundaries.

 

REQUIRED BOOKS

 

LaDuke, Winona . All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life (South End Press, 1999). You can purchase it from the University Bookstore or South End Press.

Waldman, Carl. Atlas of the North American Indian. (Facts on File, Inc., 2000). You can purchase it from the University Bookstore or Amazon.com (paperback).

Warhus, Mark. Another America: Native American Maps and the History of Our Land (St Martins Press, 1997). You can only purchase it from Amazon.com (paperback for $2-5).

Wilkins, David. American Indian Politics and the American Political System. (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002). You can purchase it from the University Bookstore (paperback) or Amazon.com (hardcover).

You are responsible for completing all the readings. In this Native Geographies course,

readings are more important than in other courses, because they are from the point of view

of people and places that the instructor alone cannot convey! For this reason,

readings will be incorporated into class exercises and discussions. You will be

expected to have completed the week's readings by classtime on Friday, in

order to participate in class discussions. The best time to do readings is the

weekend before the week they are assigned. The best way to read is to

find a quiet place and to take notes in your own handwriting.

If any readings are added or subracted, the class will be notified via the class e-mail list.

Print out this syllabus for your use, but also please bookmark this syllabus page to

consult it for any changes.

OUTSIDE READING:

Readings about your nation. Your exercises and projects will center around the tribal

nation that you will select early in the class. The Tribal Nations Case Studies list has links

to books and websites specific to each nation, as a starting point for your research. These

links only scratch the surface; your should also use other websites, library, and

electronic library database sources for your on-going research into your tribal nation.

You should immediately e-mail or write for past issues of a tribal newspaper from

a reservation in your tribal nation. The page also has numerous general links that are

useful for researching any Native nation. The nations are shown on this map.

 

Native News. A great way to keep track of developments in Indian Country is to subscribe

(for free) to the Native News e-mail news at http://nativenewsonline.org (click on Subscription Info;

a Native Environmental listserve is also available. The daily listserves pass on 5-10 articles on

current issues in different Native nations. You can also tune in to WOJB-FM radio on the web;

it is based on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation near Hayward, Wis.

 

 

GRADING

Exercise #1 (Research on tribal nation, due Sept. 20)	100 points
Exercise #2 (Research on place names, due Oct. 4)	50 points
Midterm I Exam (Oct. 8)	150 points
Exercise #3 (Reading a treaty, due Oct. 20)	100 points
Exercise #4 (Research on census data, due Nov. 3)	100 points
Midterm II Exam (Nov. 8)	150 points
Final Project (Powerpoint or poster, due Nov 29, revise by Dec 8)	150 points
Final Exam (Mon. Dec. 13, 1:00-2:50 pm)	150 points
Class participation and field trips	50 points
Total	1000 points

 

ATTENDANCE

You will be more successful in this class only if you cover the full range of

expectations: lectures, videos, readings, and exercises. Doing only the readings and exercises

outside class are not a substitute for attending the lectures or videos, which will very often present

different information. Similarly, only attending the lectures will not substitute for readings and

exercises outside the class. If it is impossible for you to attend a lecture, you must get notes

from another student--not from me-- and also talk with the fellow student about the lecture.

Some, but not all, of the lecture information may be on the W drive and the on-line syllabus

(click on the theme and the PowerPoint will download). You should never rely on the

PowerPoint alone; geography is a very visual subject, and many lectures will show maps

and graphics with no explanation other than from the verbal, in-class lecture !!! If you

have special needs, please inform me when starting the course.

 

CLASS DISCUSSION

Class discussion and field trips are part of your grade. If you are normally reticent about speaking in class,

take notes ahead of time about what you might say. Don't be intimidated by others; I encourage

shy people to speak up and express their opinions--please raise your hand to get a word in.

In class discussions, we will be conducting comparative analysis of our different tribal nations,

so you will will be seen as the class resource person on that nation.

 

FIELD TRIPS

There will be three field trips in the course. You can come on all three, but two are absolutely required for credit.

You will write up a short report on your geographical insights during the field trips, or keep a journal on the trip.

Fri., Sept. 17: Tour of Skunk Hill by a Ho-Chunk Nation official in central Wisconsin (to examine

sacred site issues), and attend part of the Highground Veterans Powwow.

Sat.-Sun, Sept. 25-26: Mole Lake Sokaogon Chippewa Community (former Crandon mine site and

wild rice) and the Menominee Reservation (Wolf River and sustainable forestry).

Fri. Oct. 22: Prairie Island Mdewakanton Dakota Community just across

the Mississippi River in Minnesota (nuclear plant and waste storage site next to tiny Sioux reservation).

 

EXTRA CREDIT

I am open to extra credit opportunities for 10 points each, with a limit of five for the semester. I would

expect a 2-page typed report with some proof of attendance, geographical observations, and your opinions/

impressions. You can visit the "Paths of the People" exhibit of the Chippewa Valley Museum in Carson

Park on your own for free, if you sign in with "UWEC Geography 322" (Open Tues. 1-8 pm; Wednes.-Fri 1-5 pm;

Sat. 10 am-5 pm). Other tribal and state historical museums in Wisconsin also cover Native history.

You can also visit powwows, such as Indian Summer (Milwaukee, Sept 10-12), Lac Courte Oreilles

Veterans' Powwow (Nov. 11), and other reservation powwows later in the semester. You may suggest other opportunities, such as speakers or conferences on campus.

 

CASE STUDIES AND FINAL PROJECT

Each student will sign up to study a a specific tribal nation listed on the Tribal Nations Case Studies page. The

four exercises and the Final Project will focus on your case study nation (which will most likely include more

than one reservation). Examining one tribal nation enables you to go more in-depth in local-scale geography

than we can in class. You will become the class "resource person" on your nation, and you wil be called upon

to relate your nation to the week's theme and readings. The Tribal Nations Case Studies page has links to initial

sources you can use in your research, and general Native links for any nation, but do not be limited to these!

 

The Final Project (150 points) will examine in-depth an environmental dispute (or another geographical or sacred site

conflict) involving your tribal nation. It will be in the form of a poster or powerpoint. Posters are strongly emphasized

at UWEC's Student Research Day, so you may want to enter your poster in the competition. The Final Project

should include or relate to the readings in the last third of the course. Collectively, the four exercises and the

Final Project can serve as a single research project for your Baccalaureate Student Portfolio.

 

If you need PowerPoint training, or want to brush up or want a critique of your past powerpoints, contact BITS

(Bringing Instructional Technology to Students) to set up an appointment (email bits.training@uwec.edu ).

BITS staff are extremely helpful no matter what level you are at. I'd encourage you to go in

small groups so you can help each other along later. You should be trained in PowerPoint by Week 8.

(Oct. 22). You can also call for a one-on-one or small group training at 836-5157 (Hours 10-3 Mon. ,

10-4 Tu./Wed./Th, and 12-3 Fri.). You can also e-mail BITS a past powerpoint for a critique and

suggestions for improving your style.

 

EXERCISES

You will have four exercises, focused on your tribal nation, which you will do on your own.

They are due at the start of class on the due date. The four exercises are worth 50 or 100 points

each, and require that you have done the readings for the theme.

Start working on these exercises as soon as you receive them! They will be available on the W Drive

(geog/grossman/322), and as links from the on-line syllabus (click on the exercise to download).

Exercise 1: Use your Atlas and case study sources to uncover the history/geography of your tribal nation.

Exercise 2: Review tribal place names and place name controversies.

Exercise 3: Read and interpreting a treaty or agreement from your tribal nation.

Exercise 4: Use Census data to analyze a reservation's demographics and economy.

 

Don't wait until the last minute to do these exercises, because you may not be able to overcome

unforeseen difficulties. No excuses will be accepted for problems that could have been solved

by starting the exercise earlier (such as a computer crash). For this reason, exercises handed in

late will automatically be knocked down 10 points in the maximum grade for every class day

they are overdue. No exceptions. Help with writing can be easily gained by visiting the Writing Center .

Review some common grammatical errors. Never rely only on your spell checker !

 

PLAGIARISM

For all projects you must not simply lift your textual material from the Web (or plagiarize any other

source), and you must have a variety of printed and digital sources.

 

EXAMS

You will have three exams (150 points each) , which will use essays,

multiple choice, matching, true/false, map quizzes, etc. , covering the readings, lectures,

exercises, and videos. They are not cumulative, but the Final is more extensive and draws

from concepts from the entire course. The first exam will include a map quiz of Native

nations; the second and third exams will have map quizzes of major U.S. reservations.

You can make up an exam only under extenuating and verifiable circumstances that

I recognize, and only if you notify me before the scheduled exam at grossmzc@uwec.edu

or 836-4471 (or the departmental secretary at 836-3244.). Unauthorized absences will

result in a zero on the exam--no exceptions. The Final Exam cannot be rescheduled

by the Professor, only by your Dean.

 

 

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

If changes are made to the syllabus, the class will be informed via the class e-mail list.

Week	Class dates	General theme	Book readings	Other readings	Exercises and Exams	Guest lecture/video (if any)
Week 1	Sept. 3	INTRODUCTION	Wilkins Ch. 1 (pp 11-40)	LaDuke Intro pp 1-6)		New York Times on Lewis & Clark anniversary
Week 2	Sept. 8, 10	INDIGENOUS RESOURCE USE (Precolonial era)	LaDuke Ch. 7 (pp 139-162)	1491 Charles Mann	Pick tribal nation Sept. 8; get copy of tribal paper. Exercise 1 starts Wed., Sept. 8
Week 3	Sept. 13, 15, 17	ENCOUNTER WITH WESTERN LAND USE (Colonial era)	LaDuke Ch. 1-2 (pp 11-45)	Our Manoomin, Our Life (booklet)		Ojibwe Waasa Inaabidaa Economy (video) Fri. Sept. 17 field trip to Skunk Hill (photos)
Week 4	Sept. 20, 22, 24	SACRED SITES	Basic Call to Consciousness (part 1)	Sacred Landscapes Valerie Taliman	Ex. 1 due Monday, Sept. 20 Exercise 2 starts Mon., Sept. 20	In the Light of Reverence video (3 parts)
Week 5	Sept. 27, 29, Oct. 1	INDIGENOUS CARTOGRAPHIES	Warhus Ch. 1 (pp 1-56)	Indigenous Geography as Discipline Arrives		Sept. 25-26 field trip to Mole Lake (Crandon mine / wild rice) & Menominee (forest). Field trip PowerPoint Crandon mine powerpoint
Week 6	Oct. 4, 6, 8	TRIBE AND NATIONHOOD (19th Century)	Wilkins Ch. 2 (pp 41-62)		Ex. 2 due Monday, October 4 Exercise 3 starts Wed., Oct. 6 MIDTERM I Friday, Oct. 8 Study Guide	Mon., Oct. 4 meet at north end of footbridge for discussion of place names (bring Ex. 2). Dress warm! Review in class, Wed., Oct. 6
Week 7	Oct. 11, 13, 15	LEGAL GEOGRAPHIES (20th Century)	Wilkins Ch. 4 (pp 103-118)
Week 8	Oct. 18, 20, 22	THE RESERVATION AS A PLACE (no powerpoint)	Wilkins Ch. 5 (pp 119-156)	LaDuke Ch. 4 (pp 74-92)	Ex. 3 due Wed, Oct. 20 Exercise 4 starts Wed., Oct. 20	Fri., Oct. 22 field trip to Prairie Island reservation & nuke
Week 9	Oct. 25, 27, 29	TREATY-CEDED TERRITORIES	Wilkins Ch.8 (pp 201-223)	GLIFWC pamphlet		Lighting the 7th Fire (video) Native Traditions: Back to the Future powerpoint
Week 10	Nov. 1, 3, 5	SOVEREIGNTY CONFLICTS	Wilkins Ch. 6 (157-184)	LaDuke Ch. 6 (pp 114-134)	Ex. 4 due Wed., Nov. 3	Review Fri., Nov. 5
Week 11	Nov. 8, 10, 12	ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE	LaDuke Ch. 5 (pp 97-111)	LaDuke Ch. 3 (pp 48-70)	MIDTERM II, Monday, November 8 Study Guide Final Project proposal due Wed., Nov. 10	Rick St. Germaine, Nov. 10 Mother Water video Deadly Power video
Week 12	Nov. 15, 17, 19	SUSTAINABILITY ALLIANCES	LaDuke Ch. 9-10 (pp 187-200)	NativeEnergy		Removal Reversed powerpoint Beyond the Impasse video
Week 13	Nov. 22, 24	INDIGENOUS COUNTERMAPPING	Warhus Ch 6 (pp 208-229)
Week 14	Nov. 29, Dec. 1, 3	TRIBAL GIS / GEOGRAPHIC WORK (same powerpoint)	GIS & Indigenous (Rundstrom)		Final project first draft due by Mon., Nov. 29 (but earlier better!)	Countermapping & Native GIS links
Week 15	Dec. 6, 8, 10	FUTURE GEOGRAPHIC DIRECTIONS	Wilkins Ch 10 (pp 245-258)		Review for Final Exam Final Project due Wed., Dec. 8	Final review, Fri., Dec. 10 STUDY GUIDE
Week 16	Dec. 13	FINAL EXAM			Monday, Dec. 13, 1:00-2:50 pm	Final in the classroom. Cannot be rescheduled by Professor (only by your Dean)

 

THE BACCALAUREATE DEGREE

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire baccalaureate degrees have eleven (11) goals. Each student is supposed to keep a portfolio of class assignments, projects, and other materials that demonstrate how they have met these goals through your courses.  The goals are listed below along with references to particular assignments that you could save to demonstrate work toward that particular goal.

Goals	Projects
1. Understanding of a liberal education.
2. Appreciation of the University as a learning community.
3. Ability to inquire, think, and analyze.	All exercises
4. Ability to write, read, speak, listen.	Lectures and readings, final project
5. Understanding of numerical data.	Exercise 4
6. Historical consciousness.	Exercises 1, 2, and 3
7. International and intercultural experience.	Entire course
8. Understanding of science and the scientific methods.
9. Appreciation of the arts.
10. Understanding of values.	Entire course
11. Understanding of human behavior and human institutions.	Exercises 2, 3 and 4