Religion and Culture in Native America presents an introduction to a diverse array of Indigenous religious and cultural practices in North America, focusing on those issues in which tribal communities themselves are currently invested. These topics include climate change, water rights, the protection of sacred places, the reclaiming of Indigenous foods, health and wellness, social justice, and the safety of Indigenous women and girls. Locating such contemporary challenges within their historical, religious, and cultural contexts illuminates how Native communities' responses to such issues are not simply political, but deeply spiritual, informed by sacred traditions, ethical principles, and profound truths. In collaboration with renowned ethnographer and scholar of Native American religious traditions Inés Talamantez, Suzanne Crawford O'Brien abandons classical categories typically found in religious studies textbooks and challenges essentialist notions of Native American cultures to explore the complexities of Native North American life. Key features of this text include: Consideration of Indigenous religious traditions within their historical, political, and cultural contexts Thematic organization emphasizing the concerns and commitments of contemporary tribal communities Maps and images that help to locate tribal communities and illustrate key themes. Recommendations for further reading and research Written in an engaging narrative style, this book makes an ideal text for undergraduate courses in Native American Religions, Religion and Ecology, Indigenous Religions, and World Religions.

First Published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

In contemporary Indian Country, many of the people who identify as "American Indian" fall into the "urban Indian" category: away from traditional lands and communities, in cities and towns wherein the opportunities to live one's identity as Native can be restricted, and even more so for American Indian religious practice and activity. Tradition, Performance, and Religion in Native America: Ancestral Ways, Modern Selves explores a possible theoretical model for discussing the religious nature of urbanized Indians. It uses aspects of contemporary pantribal practices such as the inter-tribal pow wow, substance abuse recovery programs such as the Wellbriety Movement, and political involvement to provide insights into contemporary Native religious identity. Simply put, this book addresses the question what does it mean to be an Indigenous American in the 21st century, and how does one express that indigeneity religiously? It proposes that practices and ideologies appropriate to the pan-Indian context provide much of the foundation for maintaining a sense of aboriginal spiritual identity within modernity. Individuals and families who identify themselves as Native American can participate in activities associated with a broad network of other Native people, in effect performing their Indian identity and enacting the values that are connected to that identity.

This four-volume work provides a detailed, multicultural survey of established as well as "new" American religions and investigates the fascinating interactions between religion and ethnicity, gender, politics, regionalism, ethics, and popular culture. This revised and expanded edition of Religion and American Cultures: Tradition, Diversity, and Popular Expression presents more than 140 essays that address contemporary spiritual practice and culture with a historical perspective. The entries cover virtually every religion in modern-day America as well as the role of religion in various aspects of U.S. culture. Readers will discover that Americans aren't largely Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish anymore, and that the number of popular religious identities is far greater than many would imagine. And although most Americans believe in a higher power, the fastest growing identity in the United States is the "nones"—those Americans who elect "none" when asked about their religious identity—thereby demonstrating how many individuals see their spirituality as something not easily defined or categorized. The first volume explores America's multicultural communities and their religious practices, covering the range of different religions among Anglo-Americans and Euro-Americans as well as spirituality among Latino, African American, Native American, and Asian American communities. The second volume focuses on cultural aspects of religions, addressing topics such as film, Generation X, public sacred spaces, sexuality, and new religious expressions. The new third volume expands the range of topics covered with in-depth essays on additional topics such as interfaith families, religion in prisons, belief in the paranormal, and religion after September 11, 2001. The fourth volume is devoted to complementary primary source documents.

*100 Questions, 500 Nations: A Guide to Native America* is by the Native American Journalists Association as part of the Michigan State University School of Journalism series in cultural competence. This guide has sections on tribes, reservations, sovereignty, treaties, federal offices, casinos, education, language, religion and culture. The guide is intended for people in business, schools, places of worship, government, medicine, law enforcement, human resources and journalism—anywhere it is important to know more about communities. We hope this guide works for individuals who just have questions about the people around them. Questions include: Who is an American Indian? Where did American Indians come from originally? Why are native peoples referred to as Indians? Which is correct: American Indian or Native American? How many American Indians and Natives are there? What are the reasons for rising population? Why does the government refer to most indigenous people in Alaska as Alaska Natives instead of as American Indians? Are Native Hawaiians considered American Indians? What is a tribe? How many tribes are there? Which is the largest tribe? Are Indian tribes and Indian nations the same? What powers do the tribes, as nations, hold? What kind of governments do the tribes run? What is the tribal council? What is a reservation? Why is it called a reservation? Hoe many American Indians live on reservations? How much land do tribes hold? What is Indian Country? What are the living conditions in Indian Country? What is tribal sovereignty? What is sovereign immunity? Do states have jurisdiction over American Indians or their land? Do American Indians have to obey the same laws as non-Indians? Are Indian Americans U.S. citizens? Can American Indians vote? Do Native Americans pay state or federal taxes? What are treaties? What agreements did the treaties contain? Why did European settlers enter into treaties with the tribes? Why did the tribes agree to the treaties? Are Native Americans affected by the Affordable Care Act? Are treaties still valid? Do treaties grant Native Americans special rights today? Are treaties being challenged? What organizations represent tribal interests? What does the Bureau of Indians Affairs do? Do American Indians have the right to hold elective office? Do Native Americans serve in the U.S. armed forces? Who regulates Indian casinos? Do all tribes have casino gambling? Do the tribes pay taxes on their revenues? Are individual tribes getting rich from casinos? How do tribes use gaming revenue? Why are Indian casinos a popular enterprise among the tribes? Do all American Indians favor gaming? What is a tribal school? How many American Indian students attend public schools off the reservation? How many American Indians are high school graduates? What is a tribal college? How do graduation rates for American Indians compare with the general population? Do Native Americans get a free college education? Do American Indians speak their own language? How many American Indian languages are still spoken? Which are the most common languages? Were there written Indian languages? What is being done to preserve American Indian languages? Is there an American Indian religion? How many American Indians identify themselves as Christians? Are Native Americans free to practice their native religion? What is a sweat lodge? What is a vision quest? How does tobacco figure in American Indian religion? What is cultural misappropriation? Why do Native Americans object to the use of Indian symbols, like feathers and face paint, in U.S. sports? Why do American Indians object to the term “redskin” used by the Washington NFL franchise? What is a peace pipe? Why is an eagle feather significant to American Indians? How do American Indians obtain the feathers of a protected bird like the eagle? What is a medicine bundle? What is a powwow? What are teepees? How can a person trace his or her Indian ancestry?

The fourth edition of World Religions in America continues its lauded tradition of providing students with reliable and nuanced information about America's religious diversity, while also reflecting new developments and ideas. Each chapter was updated to reflect important changes and events, and current statistics and information. New features include a timeline of key events and people for each tradition, sidebars on major movements or controversies, personal stories from members of various faiths, a theme-based organization of subjects, more subheads, three new chapters exploring America's increasing religious diversity, and suggestions for further study.

A fundamental and well-illustrated reference collection for anyone interested in the role of women in North American religious life.

This encyclopedia is the first comprehensive survey of Hispanic American religiosity, contextualizing the roles of Latino and Latina Americans within U.S. religious culture. Spanning two volumes, Hispanic American Religious Cultures encompasses the full diversity of faiths and spiritual beliefs practiced among Hispanic Americans. It is the first comprehensive work to provide historic contexts for the many religious identities expressed among Hispanic Americans. The entries of this encyclopedia cover a range of spiritual affiliations, including Christian religious expressions, world faiths, and indigenous practices. Coverage includes historical development, current practices, and key individuals, while additional essays look at issues across various traditions. By examining the distinctive Hispanic interpretations of religious traditions, Hispanic American Religious Cultures explores the history of Latino and Latina Americans and the impact of living in the United States on their culture.