Tag Archives: Indigenous Science

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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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Branding those Genes

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I recently read an article that folks are sending off swabs filled with saliva to check for Indian DNA. The latest fashion is to find evidence of Indian heritage in your blood. One way to add some caché to your … Continue reading →

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Indians in Zoos

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Been trying to channel the mindset of the scientists of the 19th century as they struggled over the concept of race. American Indians—like Asians and Africans—were seen as separate races for decades.

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Indigenous Science Recognized

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Wonderful to see a series of talks on Indigenous perspectives included on the program for the February AAAS meeting. The group—the Association for the Advancement of Science—is dedicated to advancing the discipline and publishes the prestigious journal Science.

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Neuroscience: Looking Beyond the Obvious

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I’m not the only critic warning about the dangers of finding the results you want in your research. Anthony Gottlieb, writing for The Economist this week, notes that the young field of neuroscience may be leading us astray. Loads of … Continue reading →

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The Indian Brain

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

How much of our prejudices worm their way into our thoughts about American Indians? Folks thought that brain structures determine how people think and act, and scientists in the 1840s looked at Indian skulls to determine their behaviors.

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The Republican Brain, the Indian Brain

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

An intriguing talk at a recent conference I attended discussed the Republican Brain. Seems that scientists have been studying how people respond to different scenarios and then measure their responses, both on a written questionnaire and by looking at brain … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, human origin, Indian, journalism, Native Science, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments