Indigenous Peoples and the North American West

4 credits · Undergraduate

Since time immemorial, the North American West has been the home of indigenous peoples. The rich environmental landscapes hosted some of the most diverse communities in the history of the world. But since the arrival of Europeans, it’s been a region of conflict and contestation. This course offers a historical and contemporary analysis of indigenous peoples in the American West. It will survey pre-contact indigenous communities of the region, address the enduring legacies of settler colonialism and westward expansion, and highlight the recent successes of tribal communities in revitalizing and reclaiming traditional lands and cultural practices.