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Art Blume, Ph.D., is an American Indian psychologist and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Washington State University. He has been honored as a fellow of the American Psychological Association and as a past recipient of the Trimble and Horvath award for significant contributions to Indigenous psychology. He has authored or edited six books, including, A new psychology based on community, equality, and care of the Earth, and Indigenous Relapse Prevention, as well as over 100 scholarly publications at the intersection of multicultural psychology and health. He served as the 2020 president of the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race (Division 45 of the American Psychological Association) and is also a past president of the Society of Indian Psychologists.
Chapter 1. Colonialism and Pandemics
Chapter 1 begins with an overview of the circumstances of the colonialism and assumptions that are foundational to the colonial worldview, including beliefs of colonial superiority that was divinely ordained, of beliefs in the inferiority of others that contributed to mistreatment, conquest, slavery, assimilation, and confiscation of land and resources that were also considered divinely sanctioned activities. The relationship of colonialism with past epidemics and pandemics is introduced. Colonial societies have consistently been hierarchical as a result of these beliefs, hierarchies that left many vulnerable in these societies. That vulnerability continues to haunt colonial societies in ways that negatively impact them today. Indigenous assumptions are contrasted with colonial assumptions to set the stage for critiques in subsequent chapters and for proscribing how to decolonize attitudes and beliefs to improve health and mental health.
Chapter 2. The Colonial War with the Environment
An Indigenous worldview assumes humans are interdependent creatures within an egalitarian and sacred natural world. Indigenous people have long recognized the risks in violating the balances of nature. Colonialism has long believed that exploitation of the natural world was divinely sanctioned--that the needs of the privileged supersede the needs of others. The culture of exploitation continues today, resulting in imbalances that have contributed to considerable environmental degradation including global climate change. From the perspective of Indigenous psychology, people are only as healthy as their relationships with others, including relationships with the natural world upon which they are dependent. Exploiting the environment inevitably harms the psychological wellness of interdependent human creatures. Colonial exploitation has set the stage for increased exposure and vulnerability to health and mental health problems, including those transmitted by viruses. Indigenous psychology offers another way to think and act that reduces exploitation and its risks.
Chapter 3. The Colonial Economics of COVID-19
Economic gain has been an essential part of colonialism. Therefore, it is no surprise that conflicts arose between concerns balancing economics with health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Economics played a significant part in the decision making of policy makers during the pandemic, and those decisions were informed by colonial hierarchical assumptions that significantly informed priorities. Because of the use of colonial assumptions, many groups were overlooked and mistreated. Existing income and wealth disparities exacerbated the extent of the pandemic and its treatment. In addition, evaluations of who was necessary and important to the well-being of societies was turned on its head by the realities of the pandemic. Psychologically speaking, the economic consequences of the pandemic were immense and mirror past inequities visited upon the victims of colonization. Indigenous psychology is used to evaluate how to address those psychological consequences which will be with us for many years to come.
Chapter 4. Colonial -isms and COVID-19
The colonial hierarchical assumptions of superiority versus inferiority have contributed to a me or us versus them mentality within societies that has persisted to this day. The me/us versus them perspectives has contributed to what I refer to as the -isms in society, with an -ism reflecting group-based biases that have psychologically harmed outgroups in society. Specifically, this chapter will discuss how those biases contributed to the outcomes that have been observed in many societies subsequent to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ho those consequences mirror past historical events in colonial nations. From an Indigenous psychologically speaking, activities such as a history of deception, colonial splitting, hate, and xenophobia have contributed to a great deal of psychological unwellness in colonial societies. Anger and fear have been externalized in unhealthy ways to the detriment of all. Indigenous psychology will be used to evaluate how those unhealthy realities may be undone.
Chapter 5. Colonialism, COVID-19, and Education
Colonialism always struggles to protect the most vulnerable in societies due to a de-valuing of the contributions by those not deemed to be fully autonomous, such as children. As a result, many educational systems have been historically underfunded and under-resourced. The lack of resources is exacerbated by historical hierarchies that have left many schools ill prepared for the realities of the pandemic. Education has also been used by colonial nations as a method of assimilating and controlling outgroups, hence a lingering distrust of educational institutions by many minoritized groups. Assimilation by education has negatively impacted the health and well-being of many, leaving them vulnerable to the consequences of a pandemic. Unfortunately, just like with health, economics were considered primary to educational needs. Indigenous psychology is used to evaluate the consequences to health and mental health as a result, and to suggest alternative perspectives toward creating a healthier educational system.
Chapter 6. Health Disparities and COVID-19
Health disparities contribute to sickness and death in the COVID-19 pandemic. Health disparities are the direct result of intergenerational inequities perpetuated by artificial conceptions of hierarchy. For Indigenous people, the COVID-19 was déjà vu after centuries of viral diseases post-Columbian Exchange. For other outgroups, the risks from significant comorbidity contributing to poor COVID-19 outcomes is a direct result of colonial mistreatment. From an interdependent understanding of reality, the health and well-being of a society is only as strong as its most vulnerable member. Health disparities place all at risk. Indigenous psychology will be used to propose new perspectives for reducing health disparities that colonial cultures have been unable to fully address.
Chapter 7. Colonialism, Treatments, and Vaccinations
Colonial values have significantly impacted treatment and vaccine development and implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Economics again were found to have been prioritized above prevention methods. National interests have been placed ahead of global interests, as an example. Colonial deception and misinformation hindered an effective role about of efficacious care. Just like with educational institutions, health care practice and research is significantly distrusted by outgroups who were victimized by historical acts of mistreatment such as represented by the Tuskegee study. That distrust hinders accessing care and enhances vaccination hesitancy. Indigenous psychology will examine the consequences of these realities and propose potential methods for improving adherence and ensuring equity of care.
Chapter 8. Colonial Suffrage
Stressors of the pandemic significantly impacted the American election. Colonialism has historically circumvented voting rights in an effort to protect the status quo, and those methods were used extensively in the 2020 election and even into the 2021 insurrection. Colonial forces also used tactics such as colonial splitting and highlighting -isms to drive wedges in the population and incite the populace. Hierarchical conceptualizations of the social order were promoted to disempower outgroups. All efforts to thwart political participation negatively impacted the response to the pandemic and perpetuated the colonial status quo. An interpretation of how to decolonize societies in order to promote psychological well-being is conducted through Indigenous lenses.
Chapter 9. Colonial Privilege and COVID-19
Colonial privilege has historically supported the protection and expression of individual rights even if they have resulted in harm to others. In addition, colonial privilege allows people the liberty of ignoring what science suggests is best for our collective well-being. Colonial privilege is obvious during the pandemic in so-called exercises of civil liberties, such as resistance to social distancing and wearing masks. Conspiracy theories are used to manipulate people and processes and perpetuate themes of fear and hate. Genuine risk occurred to others as a result of reckless exercise of civil liberties, with the ultimate example being the 2021 insurrection. Since pandemics naturally bring about social uncertainty and instability, colonial ways of thinking and behaving are seen as significant threats to psychological well-being in future pandemics. Indigenous psychology proposes alternative ways to interpret and address privilege and the anger and fear that drives relational psychopathology in colonial societies.
Chapter 10. COVID-19 Created Opportunities
Indigenous psychology holds an optimistic view and sees historical events as opportunities to learn life lessons. In addition, Indigenous people know that challenging opportunities provide opportunities to right past mistake and work toward a better future. There have been many important lessons from the pandemic, many that have been review in Chapters 1-9. The exposure of so many weaknesses and vulnerabilities in existing colonial social orders allows an opportunity to transform ourselves and our institutions to better serve all humans and non-humans. From the perspective of Indigenous psychology, the pandemic has been tragic and provided hope simultaneously. Indigenous psychology also provides a blueprint for addressing those things that have contributed to the tragedy of COVID-19.
Chapter 11. Indigenous Psychology and the Next Pandemic
