Diabetes in Native Chicago: An Ethnography of Identity, Community, and Care

Margaret Pollak's book Diabetes in Native Chicago explores the experiences, understandings, and care of diabetes in a Native American community, highlighting the reciprocal relationship between human culture and biology and the impact of colonial history on the epidemic. Ethnographic research shows that care for diabetes is woven into the everyday lives of community members, and the disease is a social one that requires changing society to be thwarted.

Format: Hardback
Length: 242 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2021
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

Diabetes is a prevalent condition among Indigenous populations worldwide, with some of the highest rates observed among Native Americans. While rates of diabetes have increased in reservation areas, they have also grown in cities, where the majority of Native people reside today. In her book, Diabetes in Native Chicago, Margaret Pollak explores the experiences, understandings, and care of diabetes in a Native American community comprised of individuals from over one hundred tribes across the United States and Canada. Pollak's central argument is that the relationship between human culture and human biology is reciprocal, with colonial history playing a significant role in the diabetes epidemic among Native populations. At the same time, the diabetes epidemic is being incorporated into contemporary discussions of ethnic identity in Native Chicago, where a vulnerability to the development of diabetes is described as a distinctly Native trait.

This work is based on ethnographic research conducted in Native Chicago between 2007 and 2017, involving ethnographic and oral history interviews, observations, surveys, and archival research. Diabetes in Native Chicago sheds light on how local understandings of diabetes are shaped by the observations of community members regarding cases of the disease among family and friends. Pollak demonstrates that care for diabetes is intricately woven into the daily lives of community members, recognizing that diabetes is not merely a physical disease but also a social one perpetuated by social policies and practices. To address this epidemic, Pollak argues that societal change is necessary, as diabetes cannot be thwarted solely through medical interventions.

In conclusion, Diabetes in Native Chicago offers a valuable insight into the experiences, understandings, and care of diabetes among Native Americans. Pollak's work highlights the reciprocal relationship between human culture and biology, the impact of colonial history on diabetes rates, and the need for societal change to address this epidemic. By examining the local context, Pollak demonstrates how care for diabetes is integrated into the daily lives of community members and how diabetes serves as a marker of ethnic identity and vulnerability. This book contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between culture, biology, and health and provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by Indigenous populations worldwide.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496212061