Association for the Study of Law, Culture, and the Humanities 2018 at Georgetown Law

The 2018 meeting of the Association for the Study of Law, Culture, and the Humanities has officially concluded! It was great to present with new colleague Genevieve Painter as part of the "Indigenous Complications of the National" panel, and a pleasure to Chair the session on "Subaltern Sovereignty: Official Languages, Aboriginality, and Tribal Law" with Doug Coulson, Jack Quick, and Susan Tanner.

I first attended this conference in 2017, when it was held at Stanford Law, and knew that it would be a great intellectual hub for the intersections of law as practice and law as a cultural force that shapes society and the humanities. This year's meeting was equally enlightening. It was especially wonderful to see James Boyd White, author of The Legal Imagination, urge scholars to look upon their writing as an extension of their teaching practice.

Thank you to the ASLCH organizing committee and to Georgetown Law for putting together a remarkable conference. 

Academic Content Editor at Undone Journal

I've recently come on board as the Academic Content Editor at Undone: A Journal of Queer (Re)imaginings, an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed publication critically engaged with queer, trans, and non-binary issues, experiences, identities, and narratives.

We are thrilled to announce the Call for Content for our inaugural issue, "Queering Across Borders." Submission guidelines can be found here.  

Interview on Code Switch: "So What Exactly Is 'Blood Quantum'?"

I am so pleased to announce the premier of NPR Code Switch's "So What Exactly Is 'Blood Quantum'?," which tackles the history and contemporary ramifications of this system. It was a pleasure contributing to this important and necessary conversation, and it has been incredible to continue these talks with the many people who have since reached out to me to learn more. 

Head Lady and Henry Roe Cloud

Earlier this month, I returned to Yale for my third Henry Roe Cloud Conference--a meeting hosted every three years in honor of the first Native American graduate of Yale College. It was amazing to learn, in particular, about the indigenous language revitalization work spearheaded by Yale, and it was a delight to celebrate Jay Gitlin and Ashley Hemmers as the "Friend of the Community" and "Distinguished Alumni" awardees. 

I was also so honored to serve as Head Lady Dancer at the Yale University Powwow! When I was a student at Yale, we always dreamed of hosting a powwow. Now, years later, leading all the dancers into the circle for this momentous revitalization (this was the first Yale Powwow in more than a decade!) means so much. Thank you to Dean Kelly Fayard, Kapi'olani Laronal, the Yale Native American Cultural Center, and the Association of Native Americans at Yale for inviting me to serve in this position! 

Read coverage by the Yale Daily News and my interview here. 

Rule as Head Lady (right) with fellow Yale alum, Dinee Dorame (left). Photo credit: Julia Char Gilbert

Unveiling: The Colonial Catch-22

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the National Women's Studies Association annual meeting, held in Baltimore and centered around the theme, "40 Years After Combahee: Feminist Scholars and Activists Engage the Movement for Black Lives." As part of my participation, I was selected to take part in the Women of Color Leadership Project: a full professional development, leadership, and networking program. I also moderated and presented in the panel, "Challenging Coloniality: Indigenous Activism in the US and Canada." 

As part of my paper presentation, I was delighted to unveil my concept of the "Colonial Catch-22." This term captures the ways in which the violent conditions of settler colonialism render indigenous peoples forced to make undesirable, unfair, and unfree decisions for their lives, families, and nations. The Colonial Catch-22 manifests on every level of indigenous peoples' lives, from the daily tasks of what foods to eat and what parenting techniques to employ, to the structural organizations of our sovereign governments and laws. 

To learn more about my theorizing of the Colonial Catch-22, please see the following references: 

Elizabeth Rule, Reproducing Resistance: Gendered Violence and Indigenous Nationhood, May 2018.

Elizabeth Rule, "Sealfies: Contemporary Indigenous Motherhood and Gendered Violence in Canada," American Quarterly, December 2018, Volume 70, Issue 4.

Elizabeth Rule, "Marry Out, Move Out: The Indian Act and Mohawk Girls," Women’s and Gender Studies Intellectual Forum at MIT, Cambridge, MA, 15 April 2017. 

Elizabeth Rule, “Blood Quantum Biopolitics: Indigenous Peoples and Assisted Reproductive Technologies,” Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, 23 June 2017. 

Elizabeth Rule, “Mohawk Membership Law under Settler Colonial Conditions,” American Society for Legal History, Las Vegas, NV, 26 October 2017. 

Course Website Live

This summer 2017, I conducted a self-designed course at Brown University entitled, "Black Panthers, Brown Berets: Radical Social Movements of the Late 20th Century." As the title suggests, this course was dedicated to understanding the histories of these social movements, organizations, and individuals originating from Black, Latin@, Asian, and Native American communities. The class brought together high school students from across the country and from abroad. Shortly after the course had concluded, I received an email from a student saying that the material had inspired her and others from the class to start their own student group, the "American Unity Movement." There are currently three active AUM regional chapters--East, West, and Gulf Coast--that have come out of the vision, enthusiasm, and creativity of these students. 

I created a new website devoted to this course in order to share some materials, insights, and projects as a resource to educators and students interested in these subjects. You can view it at: Blogs.Brown.Edu/PeoplePower.  

A student's final project: a historic-styled political poster on decolonizing the mind. 

Chickasaw Times Press Release

It's such an honor to be recognized by the Chickasaw Times for my work at the AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy. And what a great feeling when a Chickasaw friend texts to tell you that you made the tribal newspaper! I'm very fortunate to be in this line of work, where I can work both with and for tribal nations. You can read the article here. 

Indigenous Peoples' Day OpEd

Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day! Earlier this week, the George Washington University's The Hatchet published my article on the importance of this day of remembrance and celebration of indigenous resilience, strength, and beauty. Full text below. 

Op-Ed: Observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day, not Columbus Day

By Elizabeth Rule Oct 8, 2017 10:14 PM

On Monday, people across America will celebrate with parades and street festivals held in Christopher Columbus’ honor. Some may even have the day off from work as a holiday. But for the indigenous people of this country – and indeed, this continent – such festivities fail to recognize a history of mass death, cultural annihilation and a legacy which has wrought centuries of ongoing oppression. For these reasons, there is a growing movement among cities and states to commemorate this day, instead, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This reclaimed holiday celebrates the survival, resilience and resistance of indigenous peoples.

No matter where you fall on the Columbus Day-Indigenous Peoples’ Day debate, the fact remains that Christopher Columbus did not discover the New World. Indeed, he “discovered” the Americas just as much as anyone who arrives in present-day D.C. or on the GW campus and claims to have “discovered” it. From time immemorial, the indigenous peoples of North America employed technologies, developed sophisticated economic, political and social systems and established historical alliances with other tribal nations. These homelands were in no way an undiscovered wilderness.

But Columbus’ arrival in the Caribbean did leave lasting scars on Native peoples. Genocidal practices decimated indigenous populations and land theft stripped indigenous peoples of their spiritual, cultural, economic and political groundings. Colonial legacies following in Columbus’ wake range from 20th century assimilation-driven boarding schools – where government agents either kidnapped or coerced Native children away from their families – to the disproportionate rates of violence, poverty, suicide and disease afflicting tribal nations. In this year’s headlines, the country watched colonial legacies play out in unpunished police brutality against the peaceful Standing Rock water protectors and the environmental degradation stemming from profit-driven oil pipelines.

In the face of this harrowing reality, indigenous peoples in the United States and across the globe stand strong. Our elders have safeguarded traditional ways and now pass them on to future generations. Tribal nations are reviving indigenous languages, restoring food sovereignty and building their economies. Native communities are investing in education, decolonizing museums and taking control of their own representations in popular culture.

Centuries after Christopher Columbus set off a violent chain of colonial imposition, indigenous peoples have outlasted genocidal attempts. We and our allies are reshaping what the second Monday of October represents: enduring indigenous resilience, strength and beauty. Indeed, there is widespread support from universities, cities and states coast to coast to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Our work at the AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy centers around researching the major issues confronting Native peoples and identifying policies to redress disparities. We are the only national University-based center in Washington, D.C. whose purpose is to research, educate and promote public awareness on issues of significance to indigenous communities. Thus, on Oct. 9, we invite you to join us in observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day to remember the tragedies wrought by colonization, honor indigenous resilience and celebrate our cultures and traditions.

Elizabeth Rule is the assistant director of the GW AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy and a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation.

Native America Calling: #TakeAKnee

Many thank to Andi Murphy and Tara Gatewood for inviting me on Native America Calling to discuss #TakeAKnee and what all this means for Indian Country. It was my first time doing live radio, and it was a real pleasure! The episode was archived, and you can check it out here.

President Donald Trump says NFL owners should fire athletes who do not stand during the national anthem. The comment revived the debate over the proper respect for national symbols. The American flag and the national anthem prompt mixed reactions among Native people. What does patriotism mean to you?

Brown Graduate School Highlight

Now that I am in my final year of my PhD program at Brown, I am able to look back and see what a tremendous impact this place has made on my development as a scholar. I have been very fortunate to work alongside supportive mentors, develop community with an inspiring cohort, and have access to world class resources. It's a real delight to see myself and the brilliant Amanda Boston (https://amandatboston.com/) on the Brown University Graduate School's website. 

Ford Foundation Twitter Feature

The Ford Foundation Fellowship has enabled me to live, work, and research in Washington, DC while completing my dissertation. Being here allows me to closely interact with indigenous organizations, attend Congressional committee meetings, and build lasting relationships with tribal leaders and Indian Country advocates. I'm thrilled to have my work profiled on the Ford Foundation Twitter! 

NPR Interview

I want to sincerely thank Kat Chow, Code Switch, and NPR for inviting me to speak about my research. Our interview covered everything--from blood quantum to the Indian Child Welfare Act to assisted reproductive technologies (ART)--all with a focus on understanding how settler colonial conditions manifest in the pressures and policing of indigenous women's reproductive choices. I was particularly excited to share my term, "the colonial catch-22," as a means of understanding the impossible, contradictory, and often no-win choices which indigenous peoples, and indigenous women in particular, must navigate in the United States today. The goal in all of my work is to shed light on the pressing issues affecting Indian Country and to advocate for Native American people. I'm so happy to see NPR pick up this critical story, and am honored to share my research, insights, and voice in this important conversation. 

Infographics: Effective, Efficient, and Easy on the Eyes

Sometimes, the numbers don't always speak for themselves. Infographics transform data into comprehensible take-away points that can be readily understood by a wide public readership. Through eye-catching design and a minimalist approach to text, even the slightest glance over an infographic leaves the audience with concrete information. 

At a recent Congressional Briefing I attended, the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center, National Congress of American Indians, and Indian Law Resource Center hosted the presentation of results derived from the National Institute of Justice's "American Indian National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey." You can find the highlights of the study that I use in my research here: