Alaska Natives and the Law 903-2I

The laws governing Alaska Natives, their tribes, and their village and regional corporations present unique opportunities in the field of Indian law theory and practice.

This three-credit five-week course is designed to strengthen student understanding of Alaska Native law and the cultural and historical backdrop of its application in rural Alaska. With 229 tribal governments, a multitude of Regional and Village Corporations formed pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), and a myriad of Native non-profit corporations, Alaska Natives are a powerful economic, political, and legal force. Alaska Native values and practices regarding the traditional subsistence way of life help inform the culture of all Alaskans and are at the center of cutting edge litigation and international treaties surrounding traditional harvest of wildlife.

This course is important for all Alaskan residents, anyone who might practice law in Alaska, and for those seeking to develop their understanding of the entire field of Aboriginal rights and Federal Indian Law. The instructor will utilize real life stories from Bush Alaska as well as the latest Indian law litigation to help elucidate issues such as: Aboriginal Title, Native Allotments, the unique Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) and its impact on traditional subsistence hunting and fishing. The course will cover in-depth Alaska Native Tribal Governments and organizations, as well as the latest developments affecting tribal sovereignty.