Native American Studies

Native American literature introduces students to the oral and written texts produced by indigenous North American peoples. Courses include studies of both Native-authored texts and their historical and cultural contexts, since the rich history of Native peoples in the U.S. is intricrately entwined with both the content and form of their writing. Native American literature is of particular value and interest to students due to its often-unacknowledged place as the first North American literary tradition. Studying the diverse array of Native cultures and histories in the U.S., then, offers students insight into not only Native histories, but their own histories as inhabitants of the country now called the United States of America.