Native Research Articles

The Politics of Fear and the Experience of Bangladeshi Religious Minority Communities Using Social Media Platforms

Despite significant research on online harm, polarization, public deliberation, and justice, CSCW still lacks a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of religious minorities, particularly in relation to fear, as prominently evident in our study. Gaining faith-sensitive insights into the expression, participation, and inter-religious interactions on social media can contribute to CSCW's literature on online safety and interfaith communication. In pursuit of this goal, we conducted a six-month-long, interview-based study with the Hindu, Buddhist, and Indigenous communities in Bangladesh. Our study draws on an extensive body of research encompassing the spiral of silence, the cultural politics of fear, and communication accommodation to examine how social media use by religious minorities is influenced by fear, which is associated with social conformity, misinformation, stigma, stereotypes, and South Asian postcolonial memory. Moreover, we engage with scholarly perspectives from religious studies, justice, and South Asian violence and offer important critical insights and design lessons for the CSCW literature on public deliberation, justice, and interfaith communication.

The International and Local Politics of the Rural Environmental Registry: Brazil's Green Currency

ABSTRACTSince the 2000s, rural elites have engaged in ‘greening’ the Amazon extractive frontier. Private and state‐led initiatives have consolidated the agro‐industrial system by incentivizing compliance and effectively legalizing deforestation. Brazil's Rural Environmental Registry (Cadastro Ambiental Rural — CAR) is fundamental to ‘sustainable producer’ initiatives and international and local carbon markets. Since its emergence at the end of the 1990s, it has been funded and promoted by European countries and the World Bank through the G7 Pilot Programme for the Conservation of Brazilian Rainforests and the Amazon Fund. This analysis draws on a critical political economy approach and several years of multi‐site interviews, participant observation and archival research to illuminate how donor and recipient agencies have sustained territorial and georeferencing technologies as an international state project to enable the green economy, despite political shifts and the inherent contradictions of this instrument. The article shows how ecological modernization technologies enable the ‘greening’ of agro‐industry expansion while exacerbating land conflicts and marginalizing Indigenous and traditional peoples’ collective land rights.

Quality of life among indigenous and Afro-descendant Chilean older people: A persistent inequality gap

Quality of life among indigenous and Afro-descendant Chilean older people: A persistent inequality gap

Control of membrane biofouling in MBR for wastewater treatment by biohybrid membrane with superhydrophilic self-QQ function

Quorum quenching (QQ) is an effective method for controlling MBR (membrane bioreactor) membrane biofouling by regulating the release of autoinducer during the quorum sensing (QS) process. However, the addition of QQ bacteria solution or QQ carriers inevitably leads to unpredictable effects on MBR microbial systems and operational efficiency (for example, reduced stability of nitrification and denitrification processes, reduced biodegradation efficiency and unbalanced biofilm formation etc.). Here, we present a biohybrid membrane called ES-BM (electrospinning-biohybrid membrane), which features a unique pore size structure consisting of electrospun superhydrophilic nanofiber sheaths, a self-QQ layer (active QQ bacteria are immobilized within the interlayer structure of this biohybrid membrane to inhibit the QS process of biofilm-forming associated bacteria at the source surface where membrane biofouling occurs), and a basement filter layer, which maintain the activity of QQ bacteria for an extended period. The ES-BM extends operational cycles up to 21 days at a constant flux of 24 L/m²/h, which is three times longer than conventional MBR systems. The membrane exhibits exceptional hydrophilicity (water contact angle of approximately 0° within 2 seconds) and high tensile strength (Young’s modulus of 135 MPa). Long-term bioactivity tests confirm the stability and recyclability of the ES-BM. Additionally, microbial community analysis suggests that the biohybrid membrane suppresses the growth of biofilm-related bacteria without significantly affecting the indigenous microbial population, further enhancing system performance. This work demonstrates the potential of ES-BM for improving MBR biofouling resistance and presents insights into scalable electrospinning fabrication techniques.

Comparing predictive validity of Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory scores in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadian youth.

There is an increasing recognition of the necessity to establish the predictive validity of risk assessment scores within specific population subgroups, particularly those (including Indigenous peoples) who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. I compared measures of discrimination and calibration of the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) in Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth probationers in Ontario, Canada. Compared with non-Indigenous youth, Indigenous youth would have higher risk scores and reoffense rates. The YLS/CMI would predict reoffending and time to reoffense significantly and comparably for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth, but there would be group difference discrimination (sensitivity, specificity) and calibration (positive predictive value, negative predictive value). Justice ministry-supplied data on 400 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth (330 male, 70 female) individually matched on key background variables were analyzed to provide measures of discrimination and calibration of the YLS/CMI, with 3-year recidivism as the primary outcome. Indigenous youth were assessed at significantly higher risk than non-Indigenous youth (d = .60); 70% of Indigenous youth and 46% of non-Indigenous youth reoffended (ϕ = .24). Overall measures of discrimination (area under the curve) and calibration (logistic regression) were significant and did not differ across groups. Cross-area under the curve results indicated that the YLS/CMI discriminated Indigenous recidivists from non-Indigenous nonrecidivists but differentiated Indigenous nonrecidivists from non-Indigenous recidivists at chance level. In addition, recidivism was underestimated for low-risk Indigenous youth compared with non-Indigenous youth, but specificity was also low; only 28% of Indigenous youth who did not reoffend were assessed as low risk. Results were largely consistent across male and female youth. Examining subgroup predictive validity using multiple indices provides important information that should inform policy and practice discussions regarding fair use of risk assessment tools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Indigenous Inland Fisheries Development and Management in India

This paper provides a comprehensive review and analysis of indigenous inland fisheries development and management practices in India. Drawing on extensive literature review and case studies, it examines traditional ecological knowledge, community-based management systems, and the integration of indigenous practices with modern scientific approaches. The research highlights the diversity of inland fisheries across India's varied ecosystems and the critical role of indigenous communities in sustainable resource management. Key challenges including overfishing, habitat degradation, and socioeconomic pressures are analyzed. The paper proposes policy recommendations to support and scale indigenous management practices while addressing conservation needs. Findings underscore the importance of participatory, culturally-appropriate approaches that leverage local knowledge for inland fisheries development in India.

T’ah kóó hóniidló, we’re still HERE! Mining legacies, Indigenous health and innovative solutions

In the world today, there are many unknowns especially with rising environmental concerns. However, one of the most important is an irreplaceable and shared resource, water or as the Diné (Navajo) refer to as, Tó. Throughout the world many Indigenous communities are facing water challenges, from lack of and access to adequate infrastructure, water rights, climate change and water contamination issues due to a variety of sources including anthropogenic sources like mining, especially, on the Navajo (Diné) reservation. This article aims to bring forth awareness of the long-standing water contamination issues in Diné communities and to shed light on innovative solutions being developed through current research efforts. Specifically, Dr. Tsosie’s research aims to optimize a handheld point of use filter unit with a filter casing design that is customizable to a community and/or household through an easily removable and exchangeable cartridge system. Despite all the challenges and legacies of mining faced by not only Diné communities but many Indigenous communities, We Remain and We Are Still Here.

What it means to be an ally in Indigenous healthcare

Background: Strengths-based and culturally sensitive approaches to Indigenous healthcare are much needed within the Canadian healthcare system. This is where allyship comes in. Allyship is loosely defined as the actions of an individual who strives to advance the interests of marginalized groups in which they are not a member. This study investigated the concept of allyship with healthcare providers who were community-identified allies providing care for Indigenous patients. Methods: Qualitative description methodology was utilized, and data was generated through semi-structured interviews with allies in and around the Edmonton area, in Canada. The interviews were conducted online, transcribed verbatim and then coded using thematic analysis. Results: Interviews were conducted with 13 allies (eight physicians, four allied health professionals and one nurse). The results were captured into three main themes. The meaning of allyship demonstrated how allyship must be determined by the community, and encapsulates authentic action and advocacy, as well as working to create positive healthcare experiences. The experience of being an ally included commitment to the allyship journey, embracing emotions, and facing and disrupting systemic barriers. Finally, cultivating allyship in healthcare necessitated building and maintaining meaningful relationships with Indigenous people, and ongoing training and education. Conclusion: The study results enabled a better understanding of how allies interact with their Indigenous patients within the confines of the healthcare system and could inform learning opportunities for those who seek to practice in a culturally humble way. In particular, transcending passive education and training modalities to include opportunities for real life interactions and the development of reciprocal relationships with Indigenous patients.

La zotea: saberes performados, territorios afro y experiencias ontológico-estéticas en la escuela

This article explores the reflections on and ways of appropriation of a critical intercultural process approaching the practices and knowledge of Afro-Colombian peoples through the virtual, narrative, and physical resignification of zoteas or ancestral community gardens by Afro-Pacific populations at schools in Bogotá. An emerging process was identified through ethnographic recording in an intensive diary and student audiovisual content production on Afro-diasporic and indigenous peoples; there, the articulation of ancestral practices with experimental artistic disciplines, such as performance, shed light on other ancestral knowledge. This intervention builds bridges that connect the process with contemporary expressions of the Afro worldview such as “re-existences,” “vivir sabroso” or “intimate sufficiencies” and allowed us to question and gradually transform the organization of time, space, and roles in the construction of knowledge and meaning at school.

Soil biodiversity and microbial antagonism for suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes

Abstract Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) cause significant economic losses in agriculture and the use of nematicides is the most common management practice applied today. However, due to the impact of such chemicals, more sustainable methods are needed. Current trends consider the exploitation of indigenous soil microbial communities. In this review we discuss some concepts required for the conservation and management of soil microorganisms, considered as a fundamental natural resource. Co-evolution and co-speciation are basic evolutionary processes of soil taxa involved in soil ecosystem services such as nematode regulation. The microorganisms showing a host-parasite co-evolution hold potential for the insurgence or re-construction of a natural equilibrium in soil, aiming at nematode regulation. The impact on soil microbial diversity of farming intensification and PPN management through nematicides is also discussed. Some examples of soil microbial resources and their impact including antagonists like nematophagous fungi (NF), aquatic parasites and bacteria are also briefly reviewed.

When “new” crops are not really new: California Indigenous communities and research and commercialization of elderberry

The article “Native blue elderberry in hedgerows bridges revenue and conservation goals” focuses on the commercial potential of western blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) plantings, primarily on private farmland in California. While blue elderberry is little known as a commercial agricultural crop, it is anything but new to the Indigenous people of this place. Many of the nearly 200 tribes that live in California have been in relationship with elderberry, and the land it grows on, since time immemorial, seeing all living beings as their own kin, rather than merely utilitarian resources. For non-Indigenous farmers and researchers working with elderberry, it is important to be aware of our state’s history of land dispossession and non-Native land management practices, which have often diminished California Native peoples’ access to and sovereignty over traditional foods, medicines and cultural materials.

Thriving Beyond Adversity: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study Using a Strength-Based Approach Depicts Indigenous Adolescents with Less Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Had Fewer Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs)

Improving social and emotional well-being (SEWB) among Indigenous adolescents is crucial. Since neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are common in Indigenous people and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are important contributors to negative health outcomes throughout the lifespan, we investigated whether limited ACE exposure is associated with reduced risk of NDDs in Australian Indigenous teens using the data from multiple waves (Wave 1 to Wave 9, and Wave 11) of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC). We also examined the role of other protective factors, such as Indigenous cultural identity and school connectedness, against NDDs. A strengths-based approach using mixed-effects logistic regression models examined the protective effect of limited ACE exposure (from LSIC waves 1–9) on NDDs (outcome from LSIC wave 11), adjusting for sociodemographic factors. The NDDs included autism, ADHD, intellectual, neurological, and specific learning disabilities. Of the 370 individuals analysed, 73.2% valued Indigenous cultural identity, and 70.5% were strongly connected at school. More than one-fourth (27.8%) reported limited ACE exposure, while the majority was not diagnosed with NDDs (93%). Longitudinal analysis revealed limited ACE exposure was 6.01 times (95% CI: 1.26–28.61; p = 0.024) more likely to be protective against NDDs compared to those exposed to multiple ACEs. Moreover, valuing cultural identity (aOR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.06–7.39; p = 0.038) and girls (aOR = 13.88; 95% CI: 3.06–62.84; p = 0.001) were protective against NDDs compared to their respective counterparts. Our findings highlight the need to prevent ACE exposure and promote Indigenous cultural identity in preventing negative health outcomes and the exacerbation of health inequities to strengthen the SEWB of Indigenous communities.

Co-designing Culturally Safe Indigenous Birth in High-Risk Obstetrics: Implementing Joyce's Principle with Inuit and Cree Families and Their Medical Providers.

Introduction. Maternal evacuation-the transfer of women from remote communities to urban hospitals for childbirth-negatively affects many Indigenous Peoples in Canada. A working group of perinatal service providers in Montreal sought to enhance cultural safety in a high-risk obstetrical unit serving evacuee Indigenous families. This article describes co-design, implementation, and evaluation of short-term cultural safety interventions with Indigenous stakeholders. Methods. Indigenous families and their non-Indigenous service providers displayed their recommendations for culturally safe birth using fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCMs). Joyce's Principle-a framework for securing culturally safe healthcare for Indigenous Peoples-guided their implementation. Results. Four high-priority FCM recommendations included an Indigenous-led cultural safety training for hospital staff. Third party evaluation showed a positive influence on cultural safety knowledge and actions. Discussion. Health services designed with Indigenous stakeholders in accordance with Joyce's Principle have the potential to enhance cultural safety of maternal evacuation.

Culturally responsive strategies and practical considerations for live tissue studies in Māori participant cohorts

IntroductionIndigenous communities globally are inequitably affected by non-communicable diseases such as cancer and coronary artery disease. Increased focus on personalized medicine approaches for the treatment of these diseases offers opportunities to improve the health of Indigenous people. Conversely, poorly implemented approaches pose increased risk of further exacerbating current inequities in health outcomes for Indigenous peoples. The advancement of modern biology techniques, such as three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models and next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, have enhanced our understanding of disease mechanisms and individualized treatment responses. However, current representation of Indigenous peoples in these datasets is lacking. It is crucial that there is appropriate and ethical representation of Indigenous peoples in generated datasets to ensure these technologies can be used to maximize the benefit of personalized medicine for Indigenous peoples.MethodsThis project discusses the use of 3D tumor organoids and single cell/nucleus RNA sequencing to study cancer treatment responses and explore immune cell roles in coronary artery disease. Using key pillars from currently available Indigenous bioethics frameworks, strategies were developed for the use of Māori participant samples for live tissue and sequencing studies. These were based on extensive collaborations with local Māori community, scientific leaders, clinical experts, and international collaborators from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Issues surrounding the use of live tissue, genomic data, sending samples overseas and Indigenous data sovereignty were discussed.ResultsThis paper illustrates a real-world example of how collaboration with community and the incorporation of Indigenous worldviews can be applied to molecular biology studies in a practical and culturally responsive manner, ensuring fair and equitable representation of Indigenous peoples in modern scientific data.

"Nobody Knew . . . What Was Gonna Happen": Indigenous Loss and Grief During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Indigenous peoples have experienced higher rates of loss and death compared to the general population, partly due to historical loss. This qualitative inquiry focused on understanding Indigenous women's experiences of loss, grief, and death during the COVID-19 pandemic, involving 31 head-of-household Native American women from a southeastern US tribe. Reconstructive analysis of data from a community-based critical ethnography identified the following themes spanning the ecological levels of the FHORT: (a) loss of finances, (b) loss of structure and loss of self, (c) death due to COVID-19, (d) disrupted mourning and burial rituals, and (e) grief and extensive losses. Results indicate that the pandemic not only exacerbated historical loss, but interventions and models for working through grief and loss should not only be culturally tailored and promote healing across all ecological domains and include physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects, but should also address historical trauma, collectivist values, and traditional ways.

The Case of Dutch and Japanese Colonial Political Policies on Islamic Education in Indonesia

During the colonial period, education must have been very difficult to get, because the colonizers who were in power at that time did not want education to reach the indigenous people. The Islamic education system during the Japanese occupation was basically the same as the Islamic education system in the Dutch era, namely in addition to the pesantren education system established by traditional scholars, there was also a classical education system as seen in madrasas. The Dutch have colonized Indonesia for centuries. And during the Dutch colonial period, access to Islamic education was very difficult because Dutch education was more dominant in non-Islamic education. While Japan actually gave relief to Islamic education in Indonesia, it was precisely the waiver from Japan that made Japan withdraw from Indonesia. The research method used in this study is a Literature Study that collects data from various written sources. This research aims to find out the cases of political policies related to Islamic Education in Indonesia during the Dutch and Japanese colonial periods.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labour market outcomes of Indigenous persons living off-reserve in Canada

The recent COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the labour force activity of many, but the effect of the crisis on the labour market outcomes of Indigenous peoples in Canada is relatively understudied. Using data from the master files of the Canadian Labour Force Survey (LFS), this analysis first considers the relative probability of four mutually exclusive labour force states: employed; unemployed; not in the labour force, but not discouraged; and not in the labour force due to being a discouraged worker. Differences in hours worked as well as earnings comparing Indigenous and non-Indigenous workers are then examined. The findings reveal that, regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous Canadians were relatively more likely to be either unemployed or not in the labour force (including being a discouraged worker) than to be employed as compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Indigenous workers earned roughly 3 percent less than their non-Indigenous counterparts. The earnings penalty experienced by Indigenous workers, was slightly smaller at the bottom of the wage distribution at 2 percent, increasing to roughly 3.3 percent at the top 90th percentile of the earnings function. During the COVID-19 period, while the risk of unemployment was lower for Indigenous persons, the risk of being a discouraged worker was even higher for Indigenous Canadians during the pandemic. Using an ad-hoc supplement to the LFS conducted by Statistics Canada in response to the pandemic, this study finds that Indigenous respondents were less likely than non-Indigenous respondents to either work from home or receive any form of Canada relief benefit from April 2020 to October 2021. The implications of these findings suggest a role for policy makers to improve access to funding supports for Indigenous workers and students seeking to pursue higher education to improve labour market outcomes. Additionally, employers play an important role in ensuring that Indigenous workers have fair access to job opportunities.

Insulin level, glycemia, insulin resistance and β-cell function in relation to the lifestyle of Arctic indigenous people. Are there conditions for diabetes and which type?

Modern studies suggest that lifestyle changes of the indigenous Arctic residents lead to the loss of the "adaptive polar type of metabolism", which is characterized by the intensification of protein metabolism, optimization of lipid metabolism, and minimization of carbohydrate metabolism at low insulin concentrations. How to survive the era of change? To assess insulinemia, glycemia, β-cell secretory activity, and insulin sensitivity in Arctic indigenous people in relation to their lifestyle. A cross-sectional study of a population of indigenous Arctic residents (Nenets, Komi) aged from 22 to 60 years was conducted. Insulin levels were studied in blood serum using ELISA, and glucose levels using the spectrophotometric method. Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and β-cell function (HOMA1-%β) indices were calculated. 397 people were examined; 89 (22%) of them were nomadic people (NP) and 44 (49%) were male. Another 308 (78%) were sedentary people (SP), and 69 (22%) were male. The insulin level was significantly lower in NP (6.0 [3.5-11.8] µU/ml) compared to SP (8.3 [4.6-13.1] µU/ml), p=0.006. There was no difference in glycemia (4.6 [4.2-5.0] in NP and 4.6 [4.1-5.2] in SP) between lifestyles.The HOMA-IR was significantly lower in NP (1.3 [0.7-2.4]) than in SP (1.8 [0.95-2.8]), p=0.013. IR-HOMA >2 units was 1.8 times more frequent in the SP than in NP, with adjusted for sex, age, and BMI OR=0.56; 95% CI: 0.33-0.96, p=0.034. The median HOMA1-%β was 128 [67-241] % in NP and 144 [93-236]% in SP with no significant differences between groups. The proportion of individuals with HOMA1-%β <48.9 was 17% in NP versus 5% in SP, p<0.001. The adjusted odds of having HOMA1-%β <48.9 in NP are 3.5 times higher than in SP; 95% CI: 1.56-7.92, p=0.002. Fifty-six cases of glycemia ≥5.6 mmol/l were identified: 13.5% in NP and 14.3% in SP. The ratio IR-HOMA >2/ HOMA1-%β <48.9/BMI was 1.8 units/45%/25.2 kg/m2 in NP and 3.0 units/88%/29.6 kg/m2 in SP. Maintaining a nomadic lifestyle helps keep lower insulin concentrations; at the same time, glycemic levels in the groups were similar. In the NP group, there was a high proportion of individuals with low β-cell secretory activity, predominantly men; in the SP group, more individuals were insulin-resistant. Analysis of cases of glycemia ≥5.6 mmol/l confirmed, that hyperglycemia in a nomadic lifestyle was associated with β-cell hypofunction and the absence of obesity; on the contrary, in a sedentary lifestyle, it was associated with increased insulin resistance and obesity.

Muli Mekhanai Sekuakhian Paradigm As Ta'aruf Method In Lampung Pepadun Indigenous People In Maqashid Al-Shari'ah

Sekuakhian activities are customary of the Lampung Pepadun community as a method to choose potential partners that have been carried out by their predecessors. However, with the development of people's lifestyles, so that this activity often causes different sites from previous habits, therefore, it is interesting to study in depth the socio-philosophy of this custom, in order to get its true meaning. The problem is how to implement the customary sekuakhian muli mekhanai in the review of maqashid al-shari'ah? The purpose of this study is to examine in depth the paradigm of the indigenous people of Lampung Pepadun in the sekuakhian muli mekhanai in the review of maqashid al-shari'ah. This research is in the form of qualitative field research taken from primary data taken from indigenous people of Lampung Pepadun, while the skunder data is from the results of written works both books, journals and other articles related to the Lampung Pepadung custom, especially about sekuakhian customs.The result of this study is that the paradigm of the indigenous people of Lampung Pepadun about the sekuakhian muli mekhanai is a method for choosing a life partner, which if viewed in the study of maqasid al-shari'ah philosophically does not actually contradict the law of shari'a, but because this activity then underwent a paradigm shift, until then there were several things that plunged into things that led to the action that forbidden by religion.

“I Hope this Brings Comfort to Others; It's Brought Me Comfort Too”: Ceremony-Based Participatory and Practice Research as Indigenist Feminist Methodology

Rooted in Indigenist and critical feminist research principles and traditional Indigenous values and ethics in research, Ceremony-based Participatory and Practice Research (CerBPPR) is an essential approach for conducting research with, by, and for Indigenous communities. In this article, we define CerBPPR through presenting a project centering Indigenous health knowledge and storytelling, detailing the ceremonial protocols and practices interwoven throughout the research process—from design and development through data collection and dissemination. Through an examination of reflections from community members engaged in the project, core principles for research with, by, and for Indigenous peoples are illustrated as they are embodied and embedded within the CerBPPR approach. Findings from oral histories reflecting on the storytelling methods used in the research highlight the ways that community members felt healed, comforted, grateful, inspired, and connected to future generations throughout the project and demonstrate the promise of this approach as both research method and healing practice. In the spirit of feminist disruptions to mainstream research reporting, we use ceremonial prompts, moments of pause, invitations, and offerings to tap into the reader's humanity and embodied experience to approximate the sensory experience of participating in our storytelling/witnessing circle and as illustration of what is possible with CerBPPR.