Graduation Date
2003
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Arts degree with a major in Sociology
Committee Chair Name
Dr. Judith Little
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Mary Virnoche
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Donna Schafer
Keywords
Sociology
Abstract
This research focuses on a theoretical analysis of quantitative data collected through surveys sent to the federally recognized Indian tribes in California. The research data set was collected by the primary investigator in collaboration with the Center for Indian Community Development. The California tribes were surveyed in regards to the types of infrastructure positions held in the following seventeen sectors: government, enrollment, natural resources, education, social services, land/realty, human resources, financing, health, computer department, community services, economic development and planning, legal/judicial, public works, culture/language, gaming and tribal enterprises. The data was quantified and analyzed in context to Max Weber’s theory on the rationalization of bureaucratic structures. According to Weber, the longer a political entity is recognized by the dominant bureaucratic structure, the more bureaucratic the political entity will become. Therefore, the California tribes that have been recognized the longest by the federal government of the United States should have the most extensive bureaucratic infrastructures. The iv history of the California Indian tribes is examined in regards to localities, traditional infrastructure, date of federal recognition, Bureau of Indian Affairs region, Indian Reorganization Act status, population and land size of tribes in order to further assess the extent to which tribes have adopted bureaucratic infrastructures. Thus, the goal of this research is to analyze information regarding the infrastructures maintained by the tribes of California in order to determine if the federally recognize tribes of California are bureaucratic entities, and to test Weber’s theory on the rationalization of bureaucratic infrastructures in application to the federally recognized tribes in California.
Recommended Citation
Weber, Bethaney Ann, "A Rationalization of Bureaucratic Infrastructure: Federally Recognized Indian Tribes in California" (2003). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2438.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2438