Bravo for the Marshallese: Regaining Control in a Post-Nuclear, Post-Colonial World (Case Studies on Contemporary Social Issues) [Paperback]

Holly M. Barker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 22, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0534613268 | ISBN-13: 978-0534613266 | Edition: 1

This case study describes the role an applied anthropologist takes to help Marshallese communities understand the impact of radiation exposure on the environment and themselves, and addresses problems stemming from the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program conducted in the Marshall Islands from 1946-1958. The author demonstrates how the U.S. Government limits its responsibilities for dealing with the problems it created in the Marshall Islands. Through archival, life history, and ethnographic research, the author constructs a compelling history of the testing program from a Marshallese perspective. For more than five decades, the Marshallese have experienced the effects of the weapons testing program on their health and their environment. This book amplifies the voice of the Marshallese who share their knowledge about illnesses, premature deaths, and exile from their homelands. The author uses linguistic analysis to show how the Marshallese developed a unique radiation language to discuss problems related to their radiation exposure - problems that never existed before the testing program. Drawing on her own experiences working with the Government of the Marshall Islands, the author emphasizes the role of an applied anthropologist in influencing policy, and empowering community leaders to seek meaningful remedies.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Holly M. Barker began her work with the Marshallese when she served as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1988 to 1990 on Mili Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). After a brief stint with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill, Holly joined the RMI's embassy in Washington, D.C., where she was employed until 2008. While working full-time at the embassy in Washington, D.C., Holly earned an M.A. in Education and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from American University. Holly has represented the RMI at community, national, bilateral, and international forums, including conferences at the United Nations on such topics such as the extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. She currently resides with her family in Seattle, Washington, and is a full-time lecturer in the Anthropology Department at the University of Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Cengage Learning; 1 edition (August 22, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534613268
• ISBN-13: 978-0534613266
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #705,153 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > History > Australia & Oceania > Marshall Islands

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Anthropology in the public interest September 17, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Dr. Barker has told a story that most Americans never learn, and our government still tries to hide: that the U.S. tested nuclear weapons with full knowledge that the Marshallese people would be affected by the fallout and associated radiation. Using innovative anthropological oral history and linguistics analysis techniques, Dr. Barker demonstrates how the Marshallese have endured the physical, political, and cultural impacts of the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program on Bikini and Enewetok, and developed institutions and cultural adaptations to advance beyond victim status. A must-read for any serious scholar of the Cold War and its human consequences.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Marshall Island struggles onward despite Cold War legacy September 25, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Dr. Barker's fascinating work chronicles the efforts of a tiny nation to overcome environmental devastation at the hands of the United States. The challenges faced by the Marshallese people include environmental contamination from carcinogens such as nuclear waste (from American testing of nuclear weapons) and PCBs (from multinational corporations).

Despite the misery and devastating caused by their supposed protectors (the U.S. government), Dr. Barker accurately describes the boundless determination, decency and generosity, which the Marshallese people share with all.

As Dr. Barker correctly notes, this resiliency will prove essential to the citizens of the Marshall Islands as they continue to face critical challenges such as economic globalization, nuclear and environmental remediation, and global warming. Any of which, could prove catastrophic in the decades to come.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating on so many levels March 29, 2013

By Wild Bob

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Holly Barker writes with the unusual combination of readability and depth of understanding. Her passion will help teach you about the people of the Marshall islands and the facts of our attitudes as US citizens on the rights and health of native peoples vs our perceived security.