Melanie Yazzie, Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies, University of Minnesota | University of Minnesota
Melanie Yazzie, Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies, University of Minnesota | University of Minnesota
Melanie Yazzie, an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, recently called for the dismantling and condemnation of the United States as a "predator empire" during a pro-Palestinian teach-in on campus.
"I hope you seek to dismantle the United States," said Yazzie.
According to India Today, Yazzie, who is also a co-host of Red Power Hour, made these remarks in December 2023. She advocated for the "dismantling" and "decolonizing" of America, describing it as "the greatest predator empire that has ever existed." Yazzie urged for U.S. withdrawal from both "Palestine" and "Turtle Island," referring to North America. She equated U.S. support for Israel's occupation with colonial oppression domestically and internationally. Her statements have reignited debates concerning academic freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and political expression within higher education.
Newsweek reported that accounts on X, including Libs of TikTok, criticized Yazzie’s comments, suggesting her calls for decolonization imply "genocide against the oppressors." The nonprofit group Mythinformed claimed that her remarks demonstrate that "college is no longer worth the investment," accusing her of using "heteropatriarchy" to justify harassment against dissenters. The online backlash resulted in hundreds of comments and shares.
According to the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts, Yazzie’s academic focus includes Indigenous feminist and queer studies, Marxism, settler colonialism, political ecology, media studies, policing, urban Native experience, Navajo history, and biopolitics. Her research addresses issues such as racial capitalism, extractive economies, critical theory, gender dynamics, and intersections between Indigenous rights and social justice in both academic and activist contexts.
Dr. Melanie K. Yazzie is a citizen of the Navajo Nation with a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of New Mexico. She also holds an M.A. from Yale University and a B.A. from Grinnell College. As an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, she has previously held faculty positions at the University of California Riverside and the University of New Mexico. Her work has been supported by fellowships from organizations like the Mellon Foundation and Ford Foundation.
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