Scholars OK Native American and indigenous studies association

NORMAN, Okla. - Earlier this year, a small group of scholars scheduled three meetings over the next three years to probe the level of interest, if any, in creating an independent Native American and indigenous studies association. The idea was so enthusiastically embraced by the 300-plus participants in the first of those three meetings that the group was sent off with a mandate to form the association by the next event.

That first meeting, held May 3 - 5 and called ''What's Next for Native American and Indigenous Studies,'' was hosted by the University of Oklahoma Native American Studies Department. More than 300 scholars attended from across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, India, Hong Kong, Great Britain and Switzerland.

Robert Warrior, Osage, sparked the idea two years ago for an academic association that would support the work of scholars in the field.

Warrior is the Edith Kinney Gaylord Presidential Professor at the University of Oklahoma, where he teaches in Native American Studies and English.

Warrior's idea generated a steering committee that includes Ines Hernandez-Avila, University of California - Davis; J. Kehaulani Kauanui, Wesleyan University; K. Tsianina Lomawaima, University of Arizona; Jean O'Brien, University of Minnesota; and Jace Weaver, University of Georgia.

There's more here: http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415301