New Capitalists: Law, Politics, and Identity Surrounding Casino Gaming on Native American Land

$28.24
by Eve Darian-Smith

Shop Now
This case study examines the impact of casino gaming on Native American reservations, and also explores why the idea of "rich Indians" and their participation in corporate America disrupts dominant assumptions and attitudes about indigenous peoples, their cultural authenticity, and their place in mainstream urban society. Taking an anthropological approach to studying gaming on Indian reservations, the case study explores the implications and challenges of historically marginalized peoples now participating in a corporate entertainment industry. The study raises broader questions about the nature of capitalism and the enduring stability of predominant cultural constructs about Indians that have dominated the country's political and economic arenas. By linking gaming with tourism, what is occurring within the United States is comparatively discussed with similar developments in Canada, Australia, and Mexico where native peoples are increasingly demanding greater rights to participate in the formal institutions and governments of modern western societies. Using extensive interviews with tribal elders, employees of reservation casinos, Las Vegas casino operators, and a broad spectrum of the California public, the book will serve to: 1. Introduce readers to the legal, political, economic and cultural tensions surrounding casino operations on Native American reservations. 2. Explore why gaming has become such a politically and emotionally charged issue. 3. Emphasize how these tensions existing between Indian and non-Indian communities are representative of wider cultural conflicts and identity politics increasingly confronting many countries. Eve Darian-Smith is associate professor and chair in the Law and Society Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Trained first as an attorney, Darian-Smith obtained her M.A. in Anthropology at Harvard University and her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago--institutions with top departments of anthropology. Her book, BRIDGING DIVIDES: THE CHANNEL TUNNEL AND ENGLISH LEGAL IDENTITY IN THE NEW EUROPE (UC Press), won the 2000 Herbert Jacob Book Prize from the Law & Society Association. Darian-Smith also serves as international faculty and Teaching Fellow for the Onati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, is an Associate Editor for the American Ethnologist, and is an advisory board member for Law and Social Inquiry and the Law & Society Review. Used Book in Good Condition

Customer Reviews

No ratings. Be the first to rate

 customer ratings


How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Review This Product

Share your thoughts with other customers