NAGPRA's Impact on North Carolina and the Southeast : Research on the Research

Abstract

This thesis researches the impact of the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) on academic bioarchaeological research in the southeastern United States and North Carolina. Scholarly journals, conference bulletins, and dissertations were evaluated to determine if there have been any shifts in the amount of research conducted since the law was passed. The percentage of bioarchaeological studies for each year between 1970 and 2009 was calculated and analyzed for any changes over time. Questionnaires were e-mailed to several archaeologists, bioarchaeologists, and leaders in the North Carolina Native American community to sample their opinion of NAGPRA and compare perceived impacts of the law to any impact indicated by the quantitative data. By examining trends in percentages, the data indicates that NAGPRA has had no long-term impact upon the amount of bioarchaeological research involving Native American skeletal remains throughout North Carolina and the Southeast.