American Indian Culture and Research Journal

It was several hundred years ago that the system of higher education in the United States commenced with the founding of Harvard, William and Mary, Dartmouth, and other institutions to educate Indian and non-Indian youth of this land. During ensuing centuries, these colleges and the over two thousand that came later concentrated on the education of non-Indians. The education of Indians occurred in missions schools, in schools Indian peoples themselves established, and in government and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, but seldom in these colleges and universities. In the last decade, however, the national system of higher education sought to return partially to its original mandate to enfranchise American Indians within its realm by recruiting and admitting increased numbers of Indian students. Concomitant with this renewed mandate was a realization that it is both legitimate and desirable to include the endogenous consideration of American Indian societies and concerns as an important and pervasive activity within academia. As a method of accomplishing this, a myriad of Indian studies programs were created in colleges and universities. The creation of these programs is in contrast to the history of most existing disciplines. The typical historical pattern is that first came the discipline as an intellectual entity, that is, as a distinct body of knowledge and interests; then came its development as a structural entity, that is, as facuIties, courses, programs of study, degrees, and departments. The structural entity of American Indian studies came several years ago. Its intellectual entity at that time was not distinct, but merely a loose composite of existing academic disciplines (most notably anthropology, law, and history of Indian cultures, especially their language, art, and music) and of contemporary issues and problems of Indian peoples. Today, American Indian studies is only slightly beyond this initial point. to It has not yet embraced fully the higher order scholarly and academic functions of the contemporary university system. The development of American Indian studies has been characterized by a concentration on teaching and service activities, not on scholarly ones characteristic of other disciplines. Consequently, American Indian studies is only really a quasi -discipline and its existence as a separate area within academia therefore problematic. This paper addresses the disciplinary nature and possibilities of American Indian studies, issues which seemingly are important to its existence as a distinct entity within the academic system. The discussion is accomplished through the format of examining American Indian studies in light of some disciplinary criticisms leveled against it and suggesting some possible directions it might follow.