Author: Edited by Brian Hosmer and Colleen O'Neill Federal policy makers and 'development' experts have steadfastly insisted that Native American cultural assimilation follows from heavy-handed manipulation of the tribes' economic bases. And Native cultures have in fact adjusted. But they have not assimilated. Brian Hosmer and Colleen O'Neill have edited an important collection of essays that examines this dynamic. . . This anthology is clearly important for scholars of Native American life. Beyond that, it should be required reading for any non-academics involved in Native 'development' and its policy infrastructure.The Journal of American History[An] excellent edited volume about economic development and modernization in Native American societies during the twentieth century. This book is clearly important for providing a panoply of examples of how the dualisms in these theories fail to describe historical changes in Native American communities. . . . insightful and well-argued case studies defy the old dualistic assumptions and help move the larger theoretical discussion along. . . . I highly recommend this volume for both undergraduate and graduate classes in anthropology, Native American studies, and history, but also in sociology and political science.Journal of Anthropological ResearchAn important, indeed pivotal, work, which brings together Native American culture and economic theory. It should be of interest to students of Indian history and cultures as well as economists, development specialists, tribal leaders, and the business community.Rennard Strickland, University of OregonHow has American Indians' participation in the broader market - as managers of casinos, negotiators of oil leases, or commercial fishermen - challenged the U.S. paradigm of economic development? Have American Indians paid a cultural price for the chance at a paycheck? How have gender and race shaped their experiences in the marketplace? Contributors to Native Pathways ponder these and other questions, highlighting how indigenous peoples have simultaneously adopted capitalist strategies and altered them to suit their own distinct cultural beliefs and practices. Native Pathways offers fresh viewpoints on economic change and cultural identity in twentieth-century Native American communities.

Author: Judy Helgen Peril in the Ponds tells the story of a government biologists investigation into the mystery of deformed frogs, an epidemic that grew during the 1990s and continues today. It provides an inside view of a highly charged environmental issue that aroused the attention of the public and the media and sparked controversies among scientists, politicians, and government agencies. By the 1990s, wetlands across the United States were endangered from pollution and decades of drainage to convert them into farmland and urban developments. But when deformed frogsmany with missing legs or eyes, footless stumps, or misshapen jawsbegan to emerge from Minnesota wetlands, alarm bells went off. What caused such deformities? Pollution? Ultraviolet rays? Biological agents? And could the mysterious cause also pose a threat to humans? Judy Helgen writes with passionate concern about vulnerable frogs and wetlands as she navigates through a maze of inquisitive media and a reluctant government agency. She reports on the complexity of a growing catastrophe for frogs and broadens the issue as she researches and meets with scientists from around the world. She affirms the importance of examining aquatic life to understand pollution and the need to rescue our remaining wetlands. She also shares the fears expressed by the teachers, students, and other citizens who found these creatures, sensed a problem, and looked to her for answers. Ultimately, this is a story about the biological beauty of wetlands and our need to pay attention to the environment around us.