Doctoral Dissertation Research: Continuity and Change in Native American Perceptions and Practices of Livestock Herding

Domesticated livestock have been fundamental to social, cultural, economic, and ecological dimensions of numerous Indigenous American communities’ lifeways and holistic wellbeing for centuries. The relationship between Native American pastoralists and their animals has always been one of change and adaptation, even as it has provided continuity. This doctoral dissertation study investigates how and why a Native community’s herding practices and perceptions of wellbeing are changing in the 21st century. The project centers Native people’s perspectives and emphasizes the diversity of their experiences related to pastoralism to produce culturally relevant, empirically rigorous data useful to Tribal scientists, policy makers, and grassroots organizations working to support herders in pursuing wellbeing sustainably and in line with their varied aspirations. This locally focused work is a necessary complement to efforts and commitments at the federal level toward maintaining and enhancing Tribal prosperity, resilience, and self-determination in the face of changing, often challenging social, economic, and environmental contexts. The project trains a graduate student in methods of scientific data collection and analysis and builds capacity for the future conduct of scientific research in this context. The objectives pf this doctoral project are to discover and explain (1) why some Native American herders persist in the practice of raising livestock despite numerous challenges while others opt not to herd despite this activity’s traditional value and importance, (2) why some herders conserve a traditional livestock breed while others choose non-traditional breeds, and (3) whether and how subjective wellbeing is related to variations in conceptions of a life well lived and in herders’ specific practices in pursuit of a good life. The study integrates semi-structured interviews, structured surveys, participant observation, and mixed-methods analysis. The research innovatively combines case-based causal analysis with ethnographic and quantitative methods from cognitive anthropology to advance understandings of (1) the crucial link between culture (defined as shared meanings) and action, (2) processes of social and cultural change, and (3) diversity in perceptions and practices of wellbeing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.