Understanding Environmental and Health Issues in the United States

EMOTION, COGNITION, AND ACTION

What problems do I want to solve? What do I care about?Health care accessThe experience of vulnerable people

SustainabilityHow can I

address these issues?

ENTERING ANTHROPOLOGY FROM THE APPLIED PERSPECTIVE

The problem: What leads to sustainable vs. unsustainable rangeland management?

The issues: Ranchers’ LEK and rangeland

management practice Decision-making and the influence

of policy and global markets Ranching culture and landscape

and its relationship to rangeland politics

The work: 2002: General Interviews 2003: Participant Observation 2005: Participant Observation,

Depth Interviews, Decision Modeling

2012: 5-year follow-up Interviews

PROJECT 1:RANGELANDS AND RANCHING CULTURE

Decision-making models l ink: Policy Market LEK Personal preferences Cultural patterns

Cultural models identify: Worldview differences Valuation of knowledge systems Cultural storylines and pictures

that make sense to people Emotional attachments

Why care? Fosters cross-cultural

understanding Identifies counter-productive

forces in policy, market, etc.

DECISION MAKING AND CULTURAL MODELS

Can we make sense out of this in a way that assists in mediating conflict for group decision-making?

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Do you feel that participating in the program compromises your

independence?

Given the monetary and labor costs, would you make more money if you participated

in the program than if you sold independently?

Is participating in the program more expensive than not

participating in it?

Would you have to change your management plan to participate in

the program?

Would participating in the program increase your profits?

Do you believe that such partnerships are where the cattle industry is headed, and that it is

good to proactively get involved?

Do you believe Harris Ranch is the best option to accomplish this?

Do you value the feeling of independence more than any benefits that you could

acquire?

Is the convenience and/or lowered risk worth the lost

profits?

Is getting information back on your calves worth the lost profits?

DON’T

HARRISRANCH

DON’T

HARRISRANCH

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NOYES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

Participation in Harris RanchProgram

Changing patterns of production…

What questions were not addressed? Settlement and land use

patterns over time Understanding LEK in place The complex relationship

between: Specific policies at certain places Decisions about land use and

management Environmental health

GIS and ethnographic work Mental maps Social and natural history of

landscape Cultural and individual

memory and knowledge

LAND USE, LANDSCAPES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

The problem: How do Pagan people interact with the biomedical health care system and other forms of treatment?

The issues: Pagan worldviews about health,

healing, and wellness Pagan choices and practices related

to health Problems in access to and

successful integration with the biomedical health care system

The work: 2005-2012: General Participant

Observation 2010: Survey and Interview

Schedule 1,598 participants in survey Depth interviews with nine clergy and

health care practitioners

PROJECT 2:THE PAGAN HEALTH SURVEY PROJECT

The average Pagan:Female and White. She may be from anywhere in the country.

She is between the ages of 36 and 50, and has been a Pagan for 17 years.

She is middle class and college-educated.

She is almost as likely to self-identify as non-heteronormative as she is to self-identify as “woman” and “straight/heterosexual.”

HEALING

• Restoration (43)

• Wholeness (35)

• Recovery (32)

• Reiki (52)• Meditation (40)• Rest (37)• Magic (32)

• Natural (70)• Spiritual (63)• Holistic (44)

• Energy (107)• Balance(48)• Love (42)

Spiritual Association

s:400

Responses

Types of Healing:

323 Responses

What Healing Means:

345 Responses

Healing Practices:

302 Responses

Number of responses in parentheses.

This became an introduction for doctors, nurses, and other practitioners to their patient…

… and a point to rally around for Pagans, helping them recognize their solidarity.

THE ROLE OF SPIRITUAL LEADERS:WHEN A PRIEST/ESS IS CALLED FOR HELP

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This became a point of discussion with health care practitioners, giving voice to Pagans’ experiences of prejudice and discrimination. It became a rallying point for Pagan mental health professionals to organize.

PAGAN HEALTH SURVEY PROJECT, 2 YEARS LATER: MENTAL HEALTH

Better Linkag

es

Clergy are prepared

Pagan-friendly mental health

professionals can be found

and contacted Mental health

community is prepared

• Recognize mental illness

• Talk to people about finding help

• Offer referrals to Pagan-friendly mental health professionals

• Can differentiate between mental illness and Pagan beliefs/practices

• Are culturally competent

• Can relate to Pagan patients

PAGAN HEALTH SURVEY PROJECT, 2 YEARS LATER: HEALTH CARE

ACCESS

46.9% Incomes less than $25,000

33% Ethnic

minorities

29% Live in rural areas

28.3% LGBTQ (despite higher education levels)

25.3% Average

Who lacks health insurance?

Affordable Group Plan Insurance

Women’s and LGBTQ HealthElder Care

The problem: How does ritual emplacement and enactment of nature spirit belief relate to sustainable behavior in daily life?

The issues: How Pagans use ritual to

emotionally link people to place and teach them about nature

How ritual shapes and reflects Pagan beliefs about nature

How ritual relates to individual commitment and behaviors in non-ritual space and time

The work (coming 2012-13): 8 seasonal festivals: Druidic and

Wiccan 4 major Druidic and fairy-

centered large-scale rituals Interviews Survey

PROJECT 3:PAGANISM AND SUSTAINABILITY

Service to community, especially to non-profits: Organizational analysis Program design Evaluations

Long-term vision: Serving community Serving students Serving the discipline

CONTRACT PROJECTS: HAVE METHODS, WILL TRAVEL

Assessing Current Program

FindingChallenges

and Opportuniti

es

MakingData-Driven

Changes

Sustaining Funding

Explaining Evaluations

THE BIG QUESTIONS

Personality

Body

Cognitive Patterns

Natural Environme

nt

Worldview and

Religion

History

Built Environme

ntEconomy

What constructs the human experience, individually and collectively?

How do people think of new ideas and choose to behave in new ways? Why sometimes and not others?

How can we get people to think “good” thoughts and do “good” things? How do we define “good”?