Author Archives: Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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About Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Professor and researcher who studies science communication, particularly issues that impact American Indians. Dr. Coleman is an enrolled citizen of the Osage Nation.

Wrapping your Head around Sovereignty

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

A dinner party conversation turned to Indian sovereignty. The diners knew little about policies, and asked me how tribes can exist as nations within nations. The answer is sovereignty—a pretty hard concept to wrap your head around. A tribe can … Continue reading →

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Temper: Tantrum or Tantra?

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

My sister pitched temper tantrums when she was little. Martha would throw herself on the floor, pound her fists and wail like a banshee. Timing seemed to make no difference: we could be at home, at the beach or out … Continue reading →

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What you don’t know about the Boston Tea Party

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Sometimes we approach history with doubt, especially when it comes to stories about Native Americans. In grade school I heard North America was largely unpopulated until settlers arrived: a story quite different than the ones my relatives told. Reading about … Continue reading →

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Mind Different from Brain?

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Consider the mind, rather than the brain. I asked readers in the last blog to think about the mind rather than the brain because Samuel Morton’s skull measurements in the 1860s asserted that American Indians have smaller skulls, hence smaller … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, Indian, journalism, Native Science, neuroscience, science, science communication, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Brain Full of Buckshot

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

In the Wild West soldiers could earn a dollar for every American Indian skull they collected. Skulls were then shipped back east so scientists could study them. One of the collectors, Samuel G. Morton, used skulls to extrapolate on personality … Continue reading →

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Nip and Tuck for Your Brain

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

You can get a prescription to enhance your libido and lengthen your eyelashes, so why not a pill to help your memory? That’s the discussion around our dinner table: should doctors prescribe drugs that could improve cognitive skills?

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Confined to a Wheelchair

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Sometimes messages expand our thoughts and sometimes messages narrow them. A relative pointed out journalists are fond of saying, for example, Lady Gaga is “confined to a wheelchair,” as reported recently in the Huffington Post (UK). But a wheelchair is … Continue reading →

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Remembering Maria Tallchief

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When someone mentioned ballet my mother would chime in that a famous ballerina came from her American Indian community. Maria Tallchief. We learned this week that Tallchief passed on. She and her sister Marjorie came from a prominent Osage family, … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, film, Indian, journalism, native american, Native Science, Osage, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Cookie Full of Arsenic

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I’d hate to take a bite of you. You’re a cookie full of arsenic. That’s just one of the unforgettable quotes from the movie, The Sweet Smell of Success my students viewed this week. Set in 1950s against the backdrop … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, cinema, ethics, film, framing, journalism, news bias, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Big Brother’s Reading You

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

We now know if you’re reading the book. At least if it’s an e-book.

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