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.

Skunk Cabbage

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

We discovered a break in the rain this week and drove to the coast to explore the greenery and found the skunk cabbage in full regalia. You first catch a sniff of mild skunk in the wind and then see, … Continue reading →

Posted in health, Native Science | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

How do Indians Reclaim Science?

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

A handful of scholars—many of them American Indians—have been writing about science from an indigenous perspective, offering ammunition to counter the charge that Indians are anti-science. It comes as no surprise that some American Indians distrust approaches endorsed by science. … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, health, news bias, writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Indian Sovereignty: Worthwhile?

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

An illuminating article discusses Indian sovereignty and gambling at the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and defines sovereignty as equal to the entities of the federal government, individual states and tribes. The article from this week’s Economist (a British publication) does … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, framing, journalism, news bias | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Understanding Macro-effects in Health

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

We had a rousing discussion about what determines health—and illness—at a gathering this week, and we talked about Indian health issues. The buzz phrase today: Social Determinants of Health. That refers to the panoply of items, issues, attributes, variables or … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, health, Native Science, science, science communication | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Medicine Month

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When I lived in Georgia a fellow academic cautioned me about planning anything on Wednesday evening. Some folks go to church, he said. And when I lived in Teheran, we went to the American School Monday through Thursday, and on … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Indian | 1 Comment

A Vulgar Display of Power

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Truth is we didn’t know what to expect. But we found out what happens when heavy metal meets classical sensibilities. Magic.

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When the Masses are Stupid

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Even smart scholars sometimes make the mistake of assuming the masses are stupid. During election fever, media critics in particular view publics as empty slates ready to be inscribed with persuasive messages. For example, pundits wring their hands over negative … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, science, science communication | Tagged | Leave a comment

When Race is Social, Not Science

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Prof. Linda Martin Alcoff wrote a stunning editorial in Sunday’s New York Times about critical race theory, claiming that folks in Arizona have confiscated “books and other materials” in a bid to “oversee what can be taught” in schools. Critical … Continue reading →

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We love Familiarity

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

A mild tempest sizzled recently over the Muppets. Seems that Courtney Love objected to the Muppets’ rendition of a Nirvana song. The teapot tempest brewed in the circles of MTV and social media attenders: but you have to look hard … Continue reading →

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We are a University, not a Bathhouse

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Her genius made Albert Einstein sit up and take notice, and he called her approach creative and significant. Amalie Noether’s theorem revolutionized mathematics, according to a story by Natalie Angier this week in The New York Times. Angier writes that … Continue reading →

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