Reclaiming Land

Abstract

Environmental changes are projected to have adverse impacts on marginalized populations through additional pressures placed on already struggling social systems. Indigenous communities, given their attachment to and dependence on the land, are especially vulnerable. Though indigenous peoples throughout the world contribute the least to changes in the environment, they are disproportionally affected. To date, there has been limited research on health impacts resulting from environmental changes, especially among indigenous peoples in the United States. This chapter presents a case study on how environmental change exposure (e.g., observations, frequency, threats) and indigenous-specific sensitivities (e.g., historical trauma, ethnic identity, discrimination) affect the likelihood of participation in adaptation activities by indigenous peoples living in a physically vulnerable coastal area of the United States. It connects these findings with themes arising within other indigenous communities experiencing environmental changes.