Articles

Reservation Lands as a Protective Social Factor: An Analysis of Psychological Distress Among Two American Indian Tribes

November 12, 2018
Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World Volume 4: 1– 13 ©
srd.sagepub.com   SAGE journals

The space in which individuals reside has an important influence on psychological distress. Reservation lands in the United States can be a source of risk of psychological distress for tribal members due to social conditions like high unemployment. But they also may protect against psychological distress through a unique set of social support factors. This study begins to unpack a complex picture of risk and resilience with respect to psychological distress. A key finding is that those who have lived a vast majority of their lives on the reservation have a lower likelihood of psychological distress compared to those who have spent part of their lives off reservation. This finding argues for rethinking the perception of life on tribal reservation lands but also calls for further investigation of the role of place in the life experiences of American Indians overall. This study’s strength in answering the research question is that it adequately represents the tribally enrolled individuals who currently reside on the reservation.


Reservation Lands as a Protective Social Factor

Empowering High Desert Communities Built for Change

November 2018 Scientia

The acequia communities of the southwestern United States build on traditional practices and knowledge to sustain community managed irrigation systems. Interdisciplinary researchers from New Mexico State University, the University of New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories, and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology worked closely with these communities to understand their resilience and adaptive capacity and to promote wellbeing in the face of emerging threats.

Empowering High Desert Communities Built for Change Cover