Renowned Indian Law and Human Rights Scholar Rebecca Tsosie Joins Arizona Law

Rebecca Tsosie, internationally recognized as one of the most respected legal scholars in the field of federal Indian law and indigenous peoples' human rights, will join the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law faculty as Regents’ Professor of Law with the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program. Tsosie will also serve as special advisor to the provost for diversity and inclusion for the University of Arizona.

Tsosie will teach in the areas of property, federal Indian law, and tribal law and policy. In an email to university faculty and staff, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Andrew Comrie explained that, as special advisor Tsosie will “help advance diversity and inclusion in academic affairs. She will work collaboratively with the faculty and others to highlight inclusion as a core part of the academic mission of the university. In this respect, she will work with the faculty, staff, and students to advance cultural competency in the classroom and other academic settings, while continuing to teach and advance her own research agenda.”

Tsosie’s research interests include tribal self-determination within the U.S. constitutional framework, environmental justice for tribal communities, and intellectual property rights to cultural resources. She has previously taught courses across the IPLP curriculum, on federal Indian law, tribal cultural resource law, bioethics, and critical race theory. She also serves as appellate judge for the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation’s Supreme Court and San Carlos Apache Tribe’s Court of Appeals.

“Professor Tsosie’s many years of experience working with tribal communities across the state, nation, and the world will significantly enhance Arizona Law's national and international reputation of leadership and innovation in the field of indigenous peoples law and policy studies and service to indigenous communities around the world,” said IPLP faculty chair Robert A. Williams, Jr.

Prior to joining Arizona Law, Tsosie was a Regents’ Professor of Law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and vice provost for inclusion and community engagement at Arizona State University. She received her B.A. and JD degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is admitted to practice in Arizona and California.