Abstract

This paper examines how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Native Americans. It frames the problem as one of existing structural disadvantage that is the result of settler colonialism, showing a history of abuse and neglect in earlier pandemics. The US has an obligation to Native peoples that it is failing to uphold in numerous ways, including needed health care and resources to battle the virus. The paper describes how this is state crime in the form of slow violence.

Highlights

  • IntroductionAmerican Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/NA) face unique challenges from COVID-19

  • Already marginalized, American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/NA) face unique challenges from COVID-19

  • Native people make up only around one-tenth of New Mexico’s population but more than 55 percent of its coronavirus cases (New Mexico Department of Health 2020); in Wyoming AI/NA people are less than 3 percent of the state population, but make up more than one-third of its cases (Wyoming Department of Health 2020)

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Summary

Introduction

American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/NA) face unique challenges from COVID-19 Poor sanitation, limited provisions of other necessary items like soap, disinfectant, and even clean water, inadequately staffed medical facilities, combined with existing poverty, large multigenerational families living together, unemployment and reduced chances to retain work at home exacerbate the problems for AI/NA peoples. This is all on top of tremendous discrimination (Riley 2016). Access to help services is already sparse and jurisdictional issues on native lands mean police responses are slow, if existent (Hilleary 2020b). The toll COVID-19 is taking on AI/NA peoples is state crime due to centuries of neglect that have resulted in severe structural disadvantage

Settler Colonialism and State Crime
Findings
Conclusion
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