Social Movements & the Law

On the heels of removing two diversity-related websites this week, the University of Arizona has deleted the phrase “committed to diversity and inclusion” from its widely used “land acknowledgement” statement.

Earlier this month, the U of A removed references to DEI from its website. Now more than 1,500 students, faculty, and staff have signed a petition questioning the elimination of the DEI language.

Making decisions about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in today’s landscape is complex. Leaders face legal uncertainty, reputational concerns, financial risks, workforce tensions, and operational challenges—and without a structured way to assess these risks, fear and indecision take over. That’s why our Decision Scientists created the DEI Risk Assessment Tool—a data-driven, structured approach to help leaders separate real business threats from hypothetical fears and make informed, strategic decisions about their DEI efforts

In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision to return more than 3 million acres of land in Oklahoma to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The case, McGirt v. Oklahoma, has been described as one of the most significant Native American-related rulings in 100 years.The returned acreage in Oklahoma, including part of the city of Tulsa, is now recognized as “Indian Country,” as defined by federal law.

"In Berkeley, on a picturesque university campus in the springtime, a young woman is shoved backwards down a concrete stairway by her partner. This follows months of escalating violence, during which he slams her into walls, chokes her, pours beer on her, threatens to kill her, stalks her, promises to split her head open with a hammer. She ends the relationship, cuts off contact, flees to the other side of the country, and initiates a Title IX case against him at the university. She knows what has happened to her, what she has experienced and survived: abuse, manipulation, threats against her life, gaslighting. She knows she has lived through these trials. But others say, simply, that she hasn't -- and that her boyfriend is the real victim. In this investigative memoir, historian and journalist Joy Neumeyer explores how violence against women is portrayed, perceived, defined, and adjudicated today, decades after the inception of Title IX. Interweaving the harrowing account of the abuse she experienced at the hands of her boyfriend when they were graduate students with those of other women who faced violence on campuses throughout history, Neumeyer offers a startling look at how little has changed in the years since Title IX was enacted, and uncovers its inherent flaws. She takes us through her own experience with the process, and reveals how in an effort to listen to survivors on campuses, the quasi-law, in reality, brings their experience into question. Deeply reported, nuanced and timely, A Survivor's Education demystifies Title IX while also examining how entangled storytelling is with abuse and power, and how we can balance narrative and evidence in our attempts to determine what "really happened.""--

"This concise but comprehensive book engagingly lays out answers to myriad questions about free speech principles and current controversies, including those pertaining to hate speech, disinformation, and social media. Nadine Strossen, one of America's leading free speech scholars and advocates, focuses on modern First Amendment law, explaining the historic factors that propelled its evolution toward more speech protection -- in particular, the civil rights movement. She highlights the many cases in which robust speech-protective principles have aided advocates of racial justice and other human rights causes. The book also shows how these rulings reflect universal, timeless values that benefit everyone, regardless of identity or ideology. Correcting prevalent misunderstandings, the book explains that the First Amendment sensibly permits government to outlaw the speech that is the most dangerous, while outlawing the censorship that is the most dangerous. The book's lively question-and-answer format clearly and memorably presents free speech tenets, citing colorful episodes and eloquent language from landmark Supreme Court opinions. It will be illuminating to a wide range of readers, from those who know nothing about free speech law, to experts who seek a well-organized summary of major doctrines, as well as insights into their background and rationales." --

"A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more.Feminist Cyberlaw reimagines the field of cyberlaw through a feminist lens. Essays crafted for this volume by emerging and established scholars and practitioners explore how gender, race, sexuality, disability, class, and the intersections of these identities affect cyberspace and the laws that govern it. This vibrant and visionary volume promises to build a movement of scholars whose work charts a near future where cyberlaw is informed by feminism"--;"Feminist cyberlaw reimagines the field of cyberlaw through a feminist lens. Essays crafted for this volume by emerging and established scholars and practitioners explore how gender, race, sexuality, disability, class, and the intersections of these identities affect cyberspace and the laws that govern it. This vibrant and visionary volume promises to build a movement of scholars whose work charts a near future where cyberlaw is informed by feminism"--

"Fearless Speech emphasizes the distinction between what speech a democratic society should protect and what speech a democratic society should promote. The First Amendment has been legally deployed most visibly and effectively to promote powerful antidemocratic interests: misogyny, racism, religious zealotry, and corporate self-interest, in other words, reckless speech. Franks argues we need to focus on fearless speech--speakers who have called out injustice and hold the powerful accountable"--

"The groundbreaking Indigenous style guide every writer needs The first published guide to common questions and issues of Indigenous style and process for those who work in words and other media is back in an updated new edition. This trusted resource offers crucial guidance to anyone who works in words or other media on how to work accurately, collaboratively, and ethically on projects involving Indigenous Peoples. Editor Warren Cariou (Mtis) and contributing editors Jordan Abel (Nisga'a), Lorena Fontaine (Cree-Anishinaabe), and Deanna Reder (Cree-U+fffdMtis) continue the conversation started by the late Gregory Younging in his foundational first edition. This second conversation reflects changes in the publishing industry, Indigenous-led best practices, and society at large, including new chapters on author-editor relationships, identity and community affiliation, Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer identities, sensitivity reading, emerging issues in the digital world, and more. This guide features: Twenty-two succinct style principles; Advice on culturally appropriate publishing practices, including how to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples, when and how to seek the advice of Elders, and how to respect Indigenous Oral Traditions and Traditional Knowledge; Terminology to use and to avoid; Advice on specific editing issues, such as biased language, capitalization, citation, accurately representing Indigenous languages, and quoting from historical sources and archives; Examples of projects that illustrate best practices."--

"Creating a Seat at the Table is an edited collection that compiles the experiences of eighteen women as they navigate their way through the male-dominated spaces of law school and the legal profession. Hear from women from different generations and areas of the law--big and small law firms, legal aid, government and politics, the judiciary, in-house positions, administrative agencies. The authors discuss a multitude of issues they've faced in their careers, including the compound effects of discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, or disability as well as gender. The stories presented here are inspirational at times and discomforting at others. Creating a Seat at the Table shows that much has been done to advance women in law but also highlights that much remains to be done."--

Arizona's legislature is set to vote on legislation to pay police $2,500 for every illegal immigrant they help deport, marking it the latest U.S. state to consider bounties to support President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies.

5,053 likes, 23 comments - ndngirlsbookclub on March 14, 2025: "Indigenous women who published debut books in 2024-2025 ✨💫 mainly focused on poetry, because poetry is always underrated🤞 Native & indie booksellers we recommend: 🌵 Palabras Bookstore @palabras_bookstore 🪶Green Feather Books @greenfeatherbooks 💧 Birchbark Books @birchbark_books 🌙 Iron Dog Books @irondogbooks 🌹 Black Walnut Books @blackwalnutbooks 🐦 Quiet Quail Books @quietquailbooks 🧚‍♀️ Paperbacks n Frybread @paperbacks_n_frybread 🍓 Massy Books @massybooks 🌺 Native Books HI @nativebookshi 💫 Books & Burrow (KS) @booksandburrow #indigenouslit #nativelit #ndngirlsbookclub For our LA friends: AWP is at the end of the month, which brings writers from all over to one city. This year, it’s in Tovaangar/Los Angeles & many Native writers will be all in one place; we will be raising money for the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, which is restoring land damaged by the recent fires. We are very excited💗✨💫 tickets are at @juniorhighla 🔗".

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 19, 2025Contact: Nizhoni Begay, WPLC Communications, communications@waterprotectorlegal.org, (210) 324-3393Breaking – Verdict in Landmark SLAPP Case Against Greenpeace: Water Protector Legal Collective Continues the Call for Corporate Transparency and Accountability, and Respect for Indigenous SovereigntyMandan, ND – A North Dakota jury has ruled in favor of Energy Transfer, awarding the company hundreds of millions of dollars in damages in its lawsuit against Greenpea

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an order lifting the nationwide injunction on President Donald Trump's executive orders targeting (DEI) programs.

In one of his latest executive orders, President Trump ordered big cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is the only federal agency that provides funds to libraries.

Grijalva, who earned a sociology degree from the U of A in 1987, was a steadfast champion of the university’s land-grant mission and a testament to what it means to be a Wildcat for Life.

President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 against Tren de Aragua members, provoking a legal fight. Here's what to know about the controversial law, which was last used during World War II.

A federal judge has blocked enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender people from serving in the U.S. military.

And then they came for the libraries. On March 14, the Trump Administration promulgated an executive order that, as the American Library Association (ALA) describes it, “calls for the el…

An executive order issued by the Trump administration on Friday night, March 14, calls for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the nation’s only federal agency for America’s libraries.

691 likes, 17 comments - lakotalaw on March 12, 2025: "📢 Take action to win justice for Emily Pike. LINK IN BIO 🔗 Lakota Law supports the passage of HB2281, a bill that will create an 🚨 amber alert system specifically for Indigenous youth — ensuring that no Native family suffers a tragedy like this again. ⚖️ Act now. Tell the Arizona state Senate to pass HB2281 into law and name it Emily’s Law. #EmilyPike #JusticeForEmily #MMIW #MMIR #SayHerName #MMIAwareness #ProtectNativeChildren".

4,196 likes, 34 comments - lakotalaw on March 13, 2025: "🚨 They’re banning history. Read it anyway. Books that share truths about Indigenous land and Native history are disappearing from U.S. schools and libraries as part of a nationwide ban on books. One banned book example: “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States.” Ask yourself why. 💡 It’s not just about banning a few classics or a single book—it’s about erasing the real histories and controlling the narrative. 🚫 We created the Decolonized Reading List for 2025—a curated selection of 25 nonfiction books that challenge colonial myths and highlight movements of resistance, including Indigenous sovereignty, Black liberation, LGBTQ2S+ rights, abolition, and the fight for reparations. Read them. Share them. Pass them down. 📚 Explore the full Decolonized Reading from the link in our bio. 📢 Amplify your impact. Petition for truthful education in U.S. schools. 🔗 Teach Real History Link in Bio 👉🏾 For the most current information on book bans, follow @americanlibraryassociation #BannedBooks #DecolonizeYourBookshelf #IndigenousHistory #TeachRealHistory".

Tristan Ahtone of Grist magazine and K. Wayne Yang (a.k.a. la paperson) of the University of California San Diego will engage in an expansive dialogue on the...

Feinberg Series Panel with Joe Berry and Diana Vallera moderated by Cedric de LeonIn recent decades campuses have relied more and more on contingent instruct...

A Feinberg Series Panel with Ellen Schrecker, Jesse Hagopian and Paul OrtizReactionary politicians, school boards, and well-funded private entities are wagin...

Feinberg Series Address by Dr. Timothy K. EatmanHow do the legacies of slavery and colonialism continue to constrict possibilities for Black and Indigenous c...

2024-25 Feinberg Family Distinguished Lecture Series Keynote Address by Dr. Davarian L. Baldwin, Distinguished Professor of American Studies, Trinity College...

The president's contention that birthright citizenship is unconstitutional is considered a fringe view because the Supreme Court ruled to the contrary 127 years ago.

Racist covenants once impacted where minority families in Tucson could live.