We’ve got a new podcast up over at the Center for Gaming Research: April’s Gaming Research fellow, Theodor Gordon, gives a talk on tribal sovereignty and labor relations at tribal casinos. It’s a great summary of Indian gaming history with plenty of detail about current labor issues. Here’s the abstract:
The impact of tribal casinos on job creation is well documented. However, the increasing employment of non-Indians in tribal casinos creates new cultural and political challenges. What unique workplace anxieties emerge in a tribal casino? How might new tribal labor regulations impinge on tribal self-determination? In this talk, I address these questions through a systematic examination of tribal casino trade publications. By analyzing the language (especially the symbols and metaphors) mobilized by industry insiders as they disseminate strategies to mitigate these challenges, I demonstrate how recent developments in tribal labor relations reflect broader shifts in the boundaries of tribal self-determination.
Listen to the audio file (mp3)
View flyer (pdf)
It’s a great talk because it gives you a succinct summary of how Indian casinos developed and explains the labor situation very well. Theodor did a great deal of research during his month in residence, and it shows. The podcast series continues to be one of the real bright spots over at the Center.