by William Thompson and Diana R. Dever

About the authors: William Thompson is a professor of public administration at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Diana R. Dever is a professor of social science at Mohave Community College in Bullhead City, Arizona.

Editor's note: The following viewpoint is the first of a two-part series by the authors on sovereignty and Native American gaming. In the second part, the authors examine the ways gaming may inhibit the efforts of Native Americans to restore full sovereignty.

Sovereignty: "The supreme power of the state, exercised within its boundaries, free from external interference." —The American Political Dictionary

Fully sovereign indigenous nations existed and thrived in North America long before Europeans came to the continent. But with the passing of five centuries, the condition of sovereignty for the Indian nations declined. However, in...