2026-05-21T21:50:06Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/request

oai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-2013922025-06-09T23:52:46Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items

201392 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.201392 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-05 36 pages Tacheene, Ethan Hale, Michelle Clark, Jerome Young, Alex Barrett, The Honors College School of Public Affairs Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business This thesis explores the critical intersection between tribal sovereignty and economic development, arguing that economic sovereignty is the foundation, not merely a byproduct, of self-determination for Indigenous nations. Grounded in personal experience from the Navajo Nation and informed by legal and policy analysis, the research examines how centuries of federal disruption, including land dispossession, forced assimilation, and restrictive legislation, have fractured tribal control over land, wealth, and governance. The study focuses on two major legal interventions: the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. While the IRA sought to restore tribal governance, it often reinforced federal oversight and imposed Anglo-style political systems that undermined Indigenous autonomy. In contrast, IGRA enabled tribes to generate and reinvest revenue, supporting infrastructure, workforce development, and institutional reform. Through contemporary examples, particularly from the Navajo Nation, this thesis identifies key areas for reform and highlights Indigenous-led strategies that rebuild economic agency. Ultimately, it contends that meaningful tribal sovereignty must include the power to sustain one’s nation economically, and that economic development is a necessary condition for realizing the full promise of self-governance. Tribal Navajo Nation Sovereignty Economics Reform Legal Tackling Economic Challenges to Strengthen Tribal Independence