Evolving Sovereignty Relationships Between Affiliated Jurisdictions: Lessons for Native American Jurisdictions

Though sovereignty is principally associated with governance over a territory and freedom to act in the international arena, this article examines sovereignty as empowerment. The study tests the applicability to Native American jurisdictions of the experiences of 15 jurisdictions presently associated with the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France in shared sovereign relationships. The focus is on the evolution of those relationships and opportunities for development where jurisdictions do not attain full control over their affairs. The case studies examine the relationships from the perspectives of political, economic, and cultural sovereignty. The article further examines the relationships in three dimensions: evolutionary, frictions, and interwoven governance. It concludes with identifying factors of political cohesion, leadership, and entrepreneur ship; conditions of good governance', and structures of consultation that allow for leveraging even limited degrees of sovereignty for political, economic, and cultural advancement.