Zada Ballew
I study Native American and United States history through the lenses of sovereignty, nationalism, and anticolonialism. My research explores the business history of my tribal nation, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, from treaties to per capita payments. It analyzes how my ancestors navigated capitalism, wealth, and poverty, and considers the strategies they used to withstand the complete theft of their homelands and ubiquitous challenges to their sovereignty. In addition to my work at UW-Madison, I serve as a historical consultant for Native American and Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame.
Recent Presentations at BHC Annual Meetings