Native American and Indigenous Research

Native American and Indigenous Research

Colleges:

WSU is committed to engaged research into understanding the rich Native and Indigenous history in the Americas, collaborating with Native and Indigenous communities and addressing their current concerns and needs. The Center for Native American Research & Collaboration (CNRC) facilitates, promotes, and supports a vibrant and active affiliates and associates group comprised of tribal members, faculty, and staff dedicated to community-based research that is embedded in tribal sovereignty, values and knowledge systems. Researchers investigate the initial peopling of the Americas and the history of adaptations and diversifications of indigenous groups, their subsistence and occupational strategies, the ecologies they initially encountered and how these were altered over time by climate change and human activity. Historians study the nature of tribal treaties, their history, and relevance to modern legal proceedings. Educational scholars research strategies to ensure that tribal history is understood by future teachers and that educational resources are accurate and available, and that they bring a true Indigenous perspective to Washington public schools, as well as training and professional development of individuals in education professions that serve American Indians and Alaska Natives. The Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation (CDSC) promotes the use technology in ethically minded and socially empowering ways through meaningful partnerships with a commitment to foster long term relationships with Native American nations locally, regionally and nationally. The Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH) is one of the largest research organizations in the nation devoted to the health and health care of American Indians and Alaska Natives. The program has developed a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to improve the health and well-being of American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders of all ages. In sum, WSU scholars seek to advance our understanding of native and indigenous history, experience, communities, and their health and resilience.