Florida International University FIU Digital Commons FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School 11-5-2018 Economic Development on U.S. Native American Reservations: A Case Study of the Tribes of Florida Diane Benitez [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd Part of the Public Administration Commons, and the Public Policy Commons Recommended Citation Benitez, Diane, "Economic Development on U.S. Native American Reservations: A Case Study of the Tribes of Florida" (2018). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3910. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3910 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the University Graduate School at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY Miami, Florida ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON U.S. NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE TRIBES OF FLORIDA A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in PUBLIC AFFAIRS by Diane Benitez 2018 To: Dean John F. Stack, Jr. Green School of International and Public Affairs This dissertation, written by Diane Benitez, and entitled Economic Development on U.S. Native American Reservations: A Case Study of the Tribes of Florida, having been approved in respect to style and intellectual content, is referred to you for judgment. We have read this dissertation and recommend that it be approved. _______________________________________ N. Emel Ganapati _______________________________________ Jean-Claude Garcia-Zamor _______________________________________ Dennis Wiedman _______________________________________ Sukumar Ganapati, Major Professor Date of Defense: November 5, 2018 The dissertation of Diane Benitez is approved. _______________________________________ Dean John F. Stack, Jr. Green School of International and Public Affairs _______________________________________ Andrés G. Gil Vice President for Research and Economic Development and Dean of the University Graduate School Florida International University, 2018 ii © Copyright 2018 by Diane Benitez All rights reserved. iii DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation first, to the thoughtful and helpful members and the coworkers of the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes. Their assistance, sensitivity and understanding have made this work possible. I would be remiss if I fail to thank my family, who helped in so many ways. Michael and Edward, you mean the world to me. Without your patience and understanding, without your constant love, I would not have been able to accomplish this work. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I also want to thank the many people that have helped me along the way. My committee, foremost among them I want to thank my chair and primary confidant, Dr. Sukumar Ganapati, forever pointing me in the right direction as I stumbled through this process and never failing to get me to determine what exactly I am trying to say. Dr. Emel Ganapati, for your guidance through all of this as well as your training in the use of nVivo. Jean-Claude Garcia-Zamor for providing support and believing in me enough to agree to join my committee, the courses you taught on developing nations proved valuable in ways not normally foreseen. Dennis Wiedman, for the introductions and prodding in ways I could not have imagined. Thank you all so much for your patience. Most importantly, I thank the members of the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes, for sharing with me all your thoughts on my topic and acceding to my incessant appeals for assistance. You have all been so very kind and understanding. Without you this work has no true standing. Thank you all so much for all that you have done for me. My hope is that this dissertation will find its way to assisting U.S. government administrators as well as tribal government administrators in creating the bridges needed to support the required mutually respectful relationship. v ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON U.S. NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE TRIBES OF FLORIDA by Diane Benitez Florida International University, 2018 Miami, Florida Professor Sukumar Ganapati, Major Professor Unlike most Native American reservations in the United States, the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes in Florida are more economically developed. The purpose of this research is to understand this economic development process of these two tribes in Florida. Accordingly, there are three key questions guiding this study: 1. What have been the priorities of the Native American reservation population in conceptualizing sustainable economic development? 2. What external institutional factors have enabled or hindered economic development on Native American reservations? 3. What internal tribal governance factors affected sustainable economic development on Native American reservations? I interviewed Seminole and Miccosukee tribe members and leaders to obtain insights into answers for the above research questions. I conducted 42 interviews, spanning tribal council members, tribal members residing on and off the reservations, and others working directly with the tribes. vi My main findings are as follows. The Seminoles as well as Miccosukee have placed much emphasis on education. They actively value their sovereignty, taking independent decisions on their development priorities, including education and environment. They have not depended on extensive federal assistance. Moreover, they have successfully managed their gaming operations to the benefit of their members, in supplying education, healthcare, and other services generally undertaken by municipalities. Internally, there are key differences between the Miccosukee and Seminoles. Whereas the Seminoles have sought to integrate with the mainstream economy (for example, they own the Hard Rock Cafe, a large international franchise), the Miccosukee have been focused on their local ecology to sustain their environment. Governance wise, the Seminoles have an elaborate internal governance structure, rivaling any municipality. The Miccosukee have is smaller, indigenous structure of direct democracy. From a policy perspective, the main recommendation is that the Native American tribes be allowed to exercise their sovereignty to fulfill their own economic development goals. External federal and state government relationships should be based on mutual respect and reciprocity in relationships. Distrust could be inimical to the tribes’ economic progress. Support should be provided to the tribes to develop their own governance structures appropriate to their economic development priorities. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER .................................................................................................... PAGE CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 1 Background of Research Problem ............................................................................. 3 Economic Development of Native American Reservations ......................................... 6 The Conceptual Framework ....................................................................................... 8 Theoretical Perspective ............................................................................................10 Economic Development in Seminole and Miccosukee Reservations .........................11 Research Aims .........................................................................................................14 Research Questions .................................................................................................15 Dissertation Structure ...............................................................................................18 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................ 19 Sustainable Economic Development Theory .............................................................19 Community or Rural Economic Development ............................................................21 Native American Economic Development .................................................................22 Policy approaches ....................................................................................................22 Internal governance features ....................................................................................24 U.S. Federal and State Governments .......................................................................26 Ecological Concerns .................................................................................................27 Summary ..................................................................................................................28 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................... 30 Philosophical Foundation ..........................................................................................31 Case Study Research Design ...................................................................................33 Institutional Review Board Process ...........................................................................37 Research Site ...........................................................................................................38 Participants ...............................................................................................................38