The nuances of network sovereignty: A collaborative study of the Internet and ICTs in the Blackfeet community in Montana

Abstract

Building on research on network sovereignty in American Indian communities, this study explores how the Internet and information and communication technologies (ICTs) are imagined and used by members of the Blackfeet community in Montana. Using qualitative mixed methods, including interviews with 38 Blackfeet community members, the study provides a brief overview of the Siyeh Corporation’s Internet services in Blackfeet territory and presents a thematic analysis of interview data focused on three issues: the Internet as a daily lifeline; peoples’ ideals and standards of sovereignty; and tensions around network sovereignty. The article explores how Blackfeet community members assess their tribe’s moves to assert network sovereignty, presenting a range of opinions regarding tribally owned and operated Internet services. Building from interview data, the article suggests that practices and perceptions of local tribal governance are vital to mounting and sustaining meaningful network sovereignty initiatives.