Jump to navigation

The University of Arizona Wordmark Line Logo White
Home
  • Indigenous Governance Database
  • CONSTITUTIONS RESOURCE CENTER
  • Home
  • Key Resources
    • Conferences, Seminars & Symposia
    • NNI and Harvard Project Research
    • Great Tribal Leaders of Modern Times
    • Good Native Governance
    • Indigenous Leaders Fellows
    • Native Nation Building TV
    • Leading Native Nations
    • Emerging Leaders
  • NNI Tools
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • My Library
  • Login
Indigenous Governance Database

The Will of the People: Citizenship in the Osage Nation

  • Resource
  • Details
  • Citation

Not Related

Author: 
Jean Dennison
Year: 
2007

The Will of the People: Citizenship in the Osage Nation

The Will of the People: Citizenship in the Osage Nation
The Will of the People: Citizenship in the Osage Nation

This teaching case tells the story of Tony, one of nine Osage government reform commissioners placed in charge of determining the "will of the people" in reforming the government of the Osage Nation. Because of Congressional law the Osage Nation had been forced into an alien form of government for a hundred years. Recent legislation has reversed this and has recognized the Osage Nation's sovereign right to determine its own citizenship and form of government. As part of this case, students will analyze the highly charged debates over citizenship that took place during Osage community meetings. From these perspectives students will be asked to write referendum questions covering the central issues at stake with Osage citizenship. This case provides an opportunity for students to explore a range of issues including American Indian citizenship and sovereignty, the power and danger inherent in racial identity, and the process of community-based reform...

blood quantum, citizen engagement, governance reform, self-determination, sovereignty
Share
Native Nations: 
Osage Nation
Resource Type: 
Testimony and Speeches
Topics: 
Citizenship/Membership, Constitutions, Governance

Dennison, Jean. "The Will of the People: Citizenship in the Osage Nation." Enduring Legacies Native Cases Initiative, The Evergreen State College. Olympia, Washington. 2007. Teaching Case Study. (http://nativecases.evergreen.edu/collection/cases/will-of-the-people, accessed May 24, 2018)

Related Resources: 

Honoring Nations: Hepsi Barnett: The Osage Government Reform Initiative

Honoring Nations: Hepsi Barnett: The Osage Government Reform Initiative
Honoring Nations: Hepsi Barnett: The Osage Government Reform Initiative
Former Osage Government Reform Commission Staff Member Hepsi Barnett discusses the historical events and resulting governance issues that prompted the Osage Nation to create an entirely new constitution and system of government in 2006.
Read more

James R. Gray: Government Reform: Mobilizing Citizen Participation

James R. Gray: Government Reform: Mobilizing Citizen Participation
James R. Gray: Government Reform: Mobilizing Citizen Participation
Former Osage Nation Principal Chief Jim Gray explains the significant citizen-engagement hurdle the Osage Nation had to overcome in creating a new constitution and governance system, and how its ability to cultivate citizen participation and ownership in the development of Osage's new government...
Read more

IGD Database Search

Enter a search term

Quick Links

  • What's New at the Native Nations Institute?
  • Indigenous Governance Program
  • NNI Radio
  • US Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network

Other Useful Resources

Redefining Tigua Citizenship
Nipissing First Nation passes first Ontario Aboriginal constitution
Disenrollment Demands Serious Attention by All Sovereign Nations
Tony Skrelunas-Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future
Best Practices Case Study (Economic Realization): Hupacasath First Nation
  • About
  • NNI Hub
  • Key Resources
  • Constitutions Resource Center
  • Indigenous Governance Database
  • Login

The Native Nations Institute and The University of Arizona make efforts to ensure the information presented is accurate and up to date, but make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the content contained on this website.  This website's content is the opinion of the specific author, not statements of advice, opinion, or information from The University of Arizona, and contains links to third party sites.  The University of Arizona is not responsible for and neither approves nor endorses third party website content.  Information presented on this website and the registered trademarks, service marks, wordmarks, and logos of the Native Nations Institute and the University of Arizona may not be reproduced without express written permission. 

The University of Arizona respects intellectual property and privacy rights.  Please refer to The University of Arizona's Copyright Notice and Information Security & Privacy policies for more information.


© 2022 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona.