Science and Native American Communities : Legacies of Pain Visions of Promise

Education among American Indians has lagged behind that of almost all other groups in both the United States and Canada, and it generally has not offered what Indian communities need. It is this disturbing state of affairs - along with the intractable realities, unexamined assumptions, and cultural conflicts and misunderstandings behind it - that this text confronts. Representing a gathering of Native American professionals working in the sciences and advanced technology, the work combines theory and practice, firsthand experience and strategic thinking, in a provocative exploration of the uneasy meeting ground between science and Native American communities.In personal essays, the authors wrestle with a legacy of mistrust and violence. Acknowledging that the science and technology of nation-states have been used to eradicate, suppress and rob Native peoples, they ask: is a common ground between science and Native America possible? The problems and prospects that emerge from such a meeting, and that these essays address, include the impact of science and technology on Native lands and environment; ongoing economic and technological opportunities and challenges for reservation communities; and the differences and similarities between Native and scientific thought and practice. Coming from perspectives in government, industry and research, the authors not only showcase different reactions to the consequences of science, but also energetically propose strategies for renegotiating Native communities' relationships with science, seizing control of their destinies, and moving forward in the 21st century.
Contents:
Education; culture; economic and community development; the land, the people, and science; science and self-governance.