Native Nations’ Social Enterprise: A Tribal Critical Race Theory Model

Abstract

This study applies Tribal Critical Race Theory in the Native business domain to analyze six distinct Native Nations’ approaches to for-profit enterprises by and through Native stories and voices. Specifically, Native management and legal scholars conducted a qualitative study asking Native American business leaders 24 open-ended questions pertaining to their experience in Native Nations Social Enterprise in order to critically analyze legal, organizational, business, social and cultural practices in this unique setting. Based on our findings, we build a model for Native Nations’ Social Enterprise as embedded in and affected by dominant culture’s legal, organizational and business norms, and through Native cultural values toward social and environmental sustainability. Framed using the tenets of Tribal Critical Race Theory, the model challenges Nation building as filtered through a non-Native legal, organizational and business economic lens, as assimilative forces that constrain Nation building. It conveys the root concerns toward interconnectedness of the People, Native culture, the environment, past and future generations, but these are not evidenced by creative Native adaptations. By exposing contradictory structures, norms and values, our analysis may enable greater transformation to enhance honoring past generations and encourage adaptive alternative Native enterprises.