Change and Native American Policy?

Thanks to Kevin Maillard, Dan Filler, and their co-bloggers for inviting me to write for The Faculty Lounge. I was very pleased to learn that I would be guest blogging alongside my friend and former colleague, Jacqueline Lipton of the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. It's an honor to be writing for one of the premier sites that is changing the way that legal academics communicate about the law.

To continue with the idea of change, changes may soon be seen in how the federal government approaches Native American legal issues. Julia Richtey of VOANews.com recently reported that President Obama plans to add a senior policy advisor on Native American affairs to his White House staff. The appointment of the policy advisor appears to be one way in which President Obama is making good on his campaign promises to improve relations between the federal government and the governments of Native American tribes throughout the United States.

It is too soon to predict what impact, if any, the appointment will have upon Native American communities. The federal government's approach to Native American issues has shifted significantly throughout the history of the United States. The appointment may be the precursor to major changes in Native American law, or it may be a precursor to the same old policies.