Search form

Home &gt Site Reviews Center &gt Archives &gt By Date &gt AUGUST, 1997

S I T E     R E V I E W
AUGUST, 1997
Updated JUNE, 2007

B+
Center For World Indigenous Studies
http://www.cwis.org
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12

B+ CONTENT:
This site has information and documentation on "Fourth World" nations (defined, according to the site, as "internationally unrecognized nations that maintain a distinct political culture within the states which claim their territories"). The Fourth World represents distinct cultures such as Hopi, Miskito, Catalunya, Ainu and Ndebele.

B+ AESTHETICS:
The website uses an artistic background and large font for its page layout. Each of the pages are setup similarly making it easy to view new areas.

A ORGANIZATION:
Most of the sections are detailed on the home page and are shown as links. Each of the additional pages has the same navigation bar to connect you to other areas of the site or back to the home page.

REVIEW:
The Center for World Indigenous Studies is an independent, non-profit research and education organization based in the United States. It is dedicated to wider understanding and appreciation of indigenous peoples and indigenous nations. This site champions the "little guy." Its mission is to provide information so that conflicts and misunderstandings can be reduced. The Center is a showcase for publications and literature by leading contributors from Fourth World Nations. These nations are described by the site as "nations forcefully incorporated into states which maintain a distinct political culture but are internationally unrecognized" and gives examples such as the Ainu, Hopi and Ndebele. According to the site, currently there are between 5,000 and 6,000 "Fourth World" nations representing a third of the world's population. This site is a good resource for information on the politics, lifestyles and ideas of a variety of indigenous cultures around the world. Because there is so much information in one place, this site would be an excellent place to research reports and lesson plans or to use for high school current events and political science classes.