Cultural differences and similarities of environmental epistemology among Native American nations
- Xavier Univ. of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA (United States)
A recent major effort of Xavier University`s Consortium for Environmental Risk Evaluation Project (CERE) has been to act as a facilitator for the convening of tribal forums on various environmental management decision making processes, especially the use of risk assessment. Two recent forums sponsored by the Shoshone-Bannock Nation of Ft. Hall, Idaho and the Nez Perce Nation of Lapwai, Idaho brought together tribal leaders, tribal professionals and tribal elders from around the nation to discuss tribal approaches to risk assessment. A statement in the brochure announcing the Nez Perce Forum said ``Our various cultural understandings of, and relationships to, the environment must play an essential role in determining how future risk assessment methods are determined and practiced.`` This paper will present and discuss the issue of differences in Native American epistemologies (ways of knowing) about the environment. Are these merely distinctions without differences? Do the differences in regional ecologies and cultures affect tribal views and tribal perceptions on risk assessment and risk communication? Must the tribes develop a single cultural risk model or can and must each one be unique? These and other topics will be discussed in this paper. This paper is an effort in understanding what Native Americans are saying about nature, the environment, and environmental risk and remediation.
- OSTI ID:
- 500785
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9705100-; TRN: IM9732%%13
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 22. annual conference of the National Association of Environmental Professionals, Orlando, FL (United States), 19-23 May 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 22. annual conference of the National Association of Environmental Professionals; Daugherty, J.R. [ed.] [NOAA/NSSL, Boulder, CO (United States)]; PB: 1118 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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