Oksana Danchevskaya

American Indians in the U.S. Ethnocultural Policies Oksana Danchevskaya

The author examines the current stage of development of American Indian cultures and concludes that it is characterized by the desire of American Indians to improve their situation by the further development of their cultural traditions, obtaining education which includes the study of the native language, rising their own activism and their hope for the understanding and support by the state. Having conducted interviews with American Indians, the author emphasizes that native cultures of North America starting from the second half of the XX century have been experiencing a revival phase, characterized by the growth of their ethnic self-consciousness, political and cultural activity, search for cultural identity. The author considers the peculiarities of the American cultural policies based on the idea of multiculturalism, but at the same time highlights the significant obstacles in achieving individual cultural development of American Indian ethnic groups. The fact that the autochthonous population of the United States, despite acculturation and to a large extent assimilation with the Euro-American culture, managed to preserve its individuality is traced step by step in the study. The monograph is addressed to anyone interested in American Indian issues, Cultural Studies, ethnology.