Grace LaTourelle-

The 2024 Christenson Lectureship in Politics and Law will take place on Thursday, April 18th, 2024.The lecture is entitled ‘Land Back for Indian Tribes’ and will take place in Wallenberg auditorium at 4:00 p.m. The presentation is free to attend and all students are encouraged to come.

Every other year, as part of the Christenson Lectureship series, the Political Science Department brings a guest speaker to campus, to discuss an issue at the intersection of law and politics. This year’s speaker is Dean of University of Iowa Law School, Kevin Washburn. Washburn is an expert in Native American law and has served in the Obama administration, working on Native American policy.

Washburn will be lecturing on the Landback movement, with time at the end for Q&A. The movement strives to return land to the Native American tribes that ceded in treaties, signed by the United States government. As of recently, the Upper Sioux Agency State Park was returned to the Dakota community.

“It’s kind of a movement that’s grown and started to pick up steam,” Chair of the Political Science Department, Kate Knutson said.

Knutson encourages students of all backgrounds to attend the lecture, regardless of previous knowledge. Knutson illustrated that students attending may have no knowledge on the subject, curiosity and an intrigue to learn more, or some foundational comprehension.

“We just hope that students will come and learn a lot,” Knutson said. “Hopefully [the start time] will allow some students to come learn before they get busy…”

Washburn is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. Washburn has served on the general counsel of the National Indian Gaming Association, as well as the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“…This will be a good opportunity to hear from a recognized expert on the subject,” Knutson said. “Whether you know nothing or a lot, I think you can come to this lecture and learn something.”

Gustavus Adolphus College resides on Indigenous lands. This is recognized by land acknowledgement statements from the college. President Bergman uses the statement: “I would like to acknowledge that Gustavus Adolphus College is located on the homelands of the Dakota people. The Minnesota River and its watershed are sacred places; these waters and lands are interconnected with Dakota culture, language, creation stories, spiritual rites, livelihood, and sustenance. We seek to honor Dakota people by telling the truth about this history.”

“The land acknowledgement statements are a way of raising awareness…of recognizing that there were people who occupied  this land before it was taken…” Knutson said. “…[They] are part of what we need to do in order to educate people about that history.”

Indigenous history is applicable to the Gustavus, St. Peter, and Mankato broader communities. Knutson highlighted the implications of having the Treaty Center, where the Traverse De Sioux treaty was signed in 1851, down the road from campus. Knutson also noted that Mankato was a historical site of a mass execution following the Dakota war.

“This area is very rich with history… There’s a lot of historical connection to this area and… the first thing students can do is take time to learn about it,” Knutson said.

Students are encouraged, not only to learn from Washburn and the lecture, but also continuing education following the lecture. Gustavus offers opportunities, such as Introduction to Native American politics, which is available each semester for students to take. Knutson identified this as a great way to learn more and consider ways each individual can be involved.

Gusties are encouraged to attend the lecture, ask questions, and continue their individual learning experiences and involvement concerning Indigenous people and the land back movement.

“Gustavus is on Indigenous land…on the homelands of the Dakota people, so this is an issue that should be directly relevant to Gustavus as we work to understand what that means to be located on Indigenous lands, what our responsibilities might be, as a result of that,” Knutson said.