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The thesis examines aspects of the construction of methylmercury as an authoritative object of knowledge for Chisasibi, a Cree community on the James Bay coast in northern Quebec. I describe the evolution of a particular set of spheres of exchange which mediate economic relations between the Cree communities, the governments of Quebec and Canada, and state and corporate structures tied to the state. Knowledge claims about mercury can be seen as situated among claims of injury in a moral economy which is based on conflict over the James Bay hydro-electric project. The politicization and subsequent medicalization of these knowledge claims are described. Finally, I trace the emergence of particular concepts of 'normality', 'risk' and 'risk group' in medical and technocratic discourses about the effects of methylmercury on Canadian aboriginal populations.

The objectives of this research were to determine the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among the Cree of James Bay, identify independent risk factors for GDM and infant macrosomia in this population and compare the risk for GDM and infant macrosomia among Cree women with Canadian non-Native women. The prevalence of GDM using the National Diabetes Data Group criteria among the Cree was 12.8% (95% CI: 10.1--15.5), among the highest ever reported for an Aboriginal group. Independent risk factors for GDM among the Cree were advanced age, pregravid overweight and previous GDM. A comparison of risk of GDM between Cree and non-Native women revealed a significant interaction between ethnicity and pregravid weight. Overweight Cree women were at an elevated risk for GDM compared with overweight non-Native women (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3--3.8), whereas the risk for GDM was not statistically different between normal weight Cree and non-Native women (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.7--2.7) after adjusting for age, parity, and smoking status. Mean birth weight among Cree infants was 3859 +/- 519 g, the highest reported for any ethnic group in the world. Macrosomia prevalence was also high at 34.3%. Independent risk factors for macrosomia among the Cree were advanced age, pregravid overweight and GDM. A significant interaction was noted between ethnicity and GDM on risk for macrosomia. GDM increased the risk for macrosomia 4.5-fold among the Cree but had no significant effect among non-Natives. After adjusting for age, parity, pregravid weight, gestational weight gain, GDM, gestational duration and smoking status, Cree infants remained heavier than non-Native infants by 235 g. The results of this research indicate the need to control pregravid obesity through culturally acceptable dietary modifications and exercise in order to minimize the risk for GDM among Cree women. The significant impact of GDM on risk for macrosomia among the Cree calls for the re-evaluation of the existi

Each of the two "new" paradigms for ecological anthropology, ecosystems analysis and ethnoecology, explores only one pair of phenomena relevant to cultural ecology, environment and action, and environment and belief respectively. This study argues that ecological analysis is weakened by the exclusion of any one of those three orders of phenomena as objects of study. A detailed analysis of cognitive and behavioral data on the resource management of Waswanipi Cree hunters shows how religious beliefs incorporate both cultural logics and realistic models of environmental relationships; and, how action informed by those beliefs can effectively manage hunting, animal populations, human population distributions, and subsistence. Beliefs are formulated as recipes that apply to diverse situations so that actions informed by these are responsive to changing conditions. Decisions concerning / alternative goals, situations and strategies are shown to be socially located with the men who are the "owners" of hunting territories. / *Abstract only previously published in Dissertation Abstracts International, Vol. 40, No. 9, page 5100-A, 1980. UMI

This thesis examines social and cultural influences on housing and community planning in the native reserves of Canada. Architects and planners have tended to ignore the socio-cultural legacy of native people for a variety of unjustified reasons: insufficient local research and study, lack of understanding or appreciation, and the iniability to successfully accommodate ancient experience in the problem-solving process; approaches and techniques which may well be adapted to the contemporary context are typically overlooked. Where reference is made in housing and planning reports to socio-cultural issues, no recommendations are given as to how to interpret or apply them. / The study bases its analysis on three key terms: culture, community, and living patterns. These concepts are examined in a case study of Cree natives living on four Quebec reserves: Chisasibi, Mistissini, Nemaska, and Waswanipi. The thesis describes indigenous Cree housing; evaluates the existing housing projects built recently by the government and Cree Housing Corporation; details housing and planning problems; and presents conclusions and recommendations.

The present study investigates the problems of conducting psychological research from the experiential perspective of the Native subject and the Native consumer of research. / The Cree of Northern Quebec, who have a long history of independence and a strong central government, have ejected several psychologists from their lands. From the analysis of the psychological research conducted among the Cree it was concluded that ejections generally followed incidents of perceived disrespect for local authority systems. This analysis seemed to show that flexibility and a personal approach were considered by the Native subjects as important assets for a researcher. Other positive attributes included relevance of the research, Native origin of the researcher, and the use of information sessions after the research was concluded. Negative attributes included ethnocentrism of the researcher, the free expression of anger, demands for self-disclosure, question-asking, overpublication of results, over-identification with the host group, and ignorance of Cree history and culture. The situation for counsellors was found to have many similarities to the situation for researchers. / To investigate the problem directly, a quasi-experiment was conducted with a group of James Bay Cree subjects, and their reaction to the research experience was polled after the experiment. It was found that the subjects often enjoyed the research. Personality tests were accepted in varying degrees, and certain Native values were affected in varying degrees. / Subjects in a positive-feedback treatment group rated the experiment poorer in social responsibility and honesty than did subjects in a mixed positive-and-negative feedback group. The vast majority of subjects felt the study would have been better if it had been conducted by a Cree, and three subjects stated that the study should not have been conducted at all. / From both the literature and the experimental study, the following sources of reactivity were recognized: inflexible protocol, ethnocentrism, expression of anger, requests for self-disclosure, excessive amounts of testing, question-asking, over-publishing of results, the use of deception, over-identification with the hosts, ignorance of Native history, differential treatment, and lack of redeeming social value. Aspects of psychological research considered positive by the Native subjects included: a personal approach, relevance, Native origin of the research, affiliation with a local person, advanced age of researcher, use of intrinsically valuable or at least entertaining instruments, ability of the researcher to read subtle messages, and use of information-sharing sessions. The key to conducting non-reactive research is to respect local authority. Respect can be shown by obtaining permission to enter the area, to access a subject pool, to conduct the research, and to publish the results. If permission is refused, that decision must be respected.

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