In Becoming Indian; author Circe Sturm examines Cherokee identity politics and the phenomenon of racial shifting. Racial shifters; as described by Sturm; are people who have changed their racial self-identification from non-Indian to Indian on the US Census. Many racial shifters are people who; while looking for their roots; have recently discovered their Native American ancestry. Others have family stories of an Indian great-great-grandmother or grandfather they have not been able to document. Still others have long known they were of Native American descent; including their tribal affiliation; but only recently have become interested in reclaiming this aspect of their family history. Despite their differences; racial shifters share a conviction that they have Indian blood when asserting claims of indigeneity. Becoming Indian explores the social and cultural values that lie behind this phenomenon and delves into the motivations of these Americans―from so many different walks of life―to reinscribe their autobiographies and find deep personal and collective meaning in reclaiming their Indianness. Sturm points out that “becoming Indian†was not something people were quite as willing to do forty years ago―the willingness to do so now reveals much about the shifting politics of race and indigeneity in the United States.
#2451360 in Books Vertical 2005-07-01 2005-07-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.21 x .95 x 5.32l; .81 #File Name: 1932234179236 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good; shorter description of the eventsBy G. StuccoGood; shorter description of the events. Better yet; 1453 by Crowley. I recommend all books by Shiono: her writing style is enjoyable.9 of 11 people found the following review helpful. amazing history novelBy Julius CaesarI love Nanami Shiono and I read this book in Japanese first. She is such a great writer. Any translation can't be exact; especially from Asian language to English is not easy and vice versa. We lose the atomosphere and nuances of each sentence or the image we share when we hear a certain vocabulary. It's not the translator's but us who don't know enough about each other's culture. Still the story line of book is great and very entertaining. If you're interested in history and want to know more about the war between muslim and christian; this book will definitely get you some good insights.9 of 21 people found the following review helpful. SimplisticBy Bothell ReaderThis book; and it's 2 companion volumes; are very simplistic accounts of pivotal moments in renaissance mediterrean history.As history they are very limited. There are no notes; no bibliographies; no idexes and very limited maps.Worse; for books purporting to be history; their writing style is juvenile and contrived; more suited to maybe a sixth grade class room than adult history. The books are marred by made up conversations and situations; to perhaps illustrate history; but certainly nothing that was found in whatever research the author might have done.I can't really see how this writer is the most loved historian in Japan; based on these books. Perhaps the translator has simplified the language and ideas; who knows.So; if you have a grade school or junior high child who wanted an introduction to these events; they might be useful; but for adult reading they should be bypassed.All in all; very disappointing efforts for someone who claims to be a historian.
