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Lasco G, Hardon A. Sensing, knowing, and making water quality along Marikina River in the Philippines. HUMAN ORGANIZATION 2024; 83:145-158. [PMID: 38975014 PMCID: PMC11225946 DOI: 10.1080/00187259.2024.2351372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Water quality is a major concern around the world, but assessments of quality often privilege producers, regulators and experts over consumers. With water supplies and sources constantly in flux, how do ordinary people experience and "sense" quality? How do they define "good" or "good enough" water, and what practices do they engage in to "make" good water? In this article, we attend to these questions by presenting findings from an open-ended qualitative study carried out along the Marikina River, Manila, the Philippines - a waterway that courses from rural and mountainous villages to highly urbanized communities. First, we describe the sensorial and cognitive attributes that people associate with the different water sources in their environment, as well as their decision-making regarding what kind of water to use for which purposes. Second, we present the "making" of water quality: how, in a context of polluted environments and water scarcity, do people try to secure water they consider acceptable for themselves and their families. Our findings reveal water quality as a contested, relational domain-one that reinforces social and health disparities and calls for further scholarship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gideon Lasco
- Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Anthropology, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
- Development Studies Program, Ateneo de Manila University, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Anita Hardon
- Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Sultana A, Wilson J, Martin-Hill D, Lickers A. Water Insecurity and Maternal Health Among Haudenosaunee Women in Canada. Med Anthropol 2023; 42:535-550. [PMID: 37459600 DOI: 10.1080/01459740.2023.2235629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Water is central to Haudenosaunee knowledge, philosophy, and culture. The health of Haudenosaunee mothers is tied to that of water. Today, the lack of access to reliable drinking water for Six Nations is a significant health concern. Technical measurement of water advisories in Canada fails to understand the interwoven relationship that Haudenosaunee women have with water. Highlighting the voices of 55 Haudenosaunee women, we provide expanded definitions of water insecurity and maternal health to include more-than-human beings. This comprehensive understanding of water insecurity and health shapes SN mothers' experiences with water in a settler colonial state, affecting their holistic wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afroza Sultana
- Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Julie Wilson
- Six Nations Birthing Center, Ohsweken, ON, Canada
| | - Dawn Martin-Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Indigenous Studies Program, McMaster University Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Wutich A, Rosinger AY, Brewis A, Beresford M, Young SL. Water Sharing Is a Distressing Form of Reciprocity: Shame, Upset, Anger, and Conflict Over Water in Twenty Cross-Cultural Sites. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2022; 124:279-290. [PMID: 36108326 PMCID: PMC9455904 DOI: 10.1111/aman.13682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Anthropological theories of reciprocity suggest it enhances prestige, social solidarity, and material security. Yet, some ethnographic cases suggest that water sharing-a form of reciprocity newly gaining scholarly attention-might work in the opposite way, increasing conflict and emotional distress. Using cross-cultural survey data from twenty global sites (n=4,267), we test how household water reciprocity (giving and receiving) is associated with negative emotional and social outcomes. Participation in water sharing as both givers and receivers is consistently associated with greater odds of reporting shame, upset, and conflict over water. Water sharing experiences in a large, diverse sample confirm a lack of alignment with predictions of classic reciprocity theories. Recent ethnographic research on reciprocity in contexts of deepening contemporary poverty will allow development of ethnographically informed theories to better explain negative experiences tied to water reciprocity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Wutich
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Phoenix, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287,Corresponding author: Amber Wutich, ; Phone: 480-965-9010, P.O. Box 872402, Tempe, AZ 85287
| | - Asher Y. Rosinger
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802.,Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Alexandra Brewis
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Phoenix, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287
| | - Melissa Beresford
- Department of Anthropology, San José State University, San José, CA, 95192
| | - Sera L. Young
- Department of Anthropology & Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208
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Bessire L. Aquifer Aporias. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1086/720280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Botai CM, Botai JO, Murambadoro M, Zwane NN, Adeola AM, de Wit JP, Adisa OM. Scope, trends and opportunities for socio-hydrology research in Africa: A bibliometric analysis. S AFR J SCI 2022. [DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2022/8742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Socio-hydrology research is concerned with the understanding of how humanity interacts with water resources. The purpose of this study was to assess the disparity between global and African trends as well as developments in the research domain of socio-hydrology. From the viewpoint of a multitude of research themes, multi-author collaborations between African and international researchers and the number of publications produced globally, the results reveal that the field of socio-hydrology is still underdeveloped and yet nascent. At a global level, the USA, China, and the Netherlands have the highest number of scientific publications, while in Africa, South Africa dominates, although these scientific publications are significantly much lower than the global output. The output of scientific publications on socio-hydrology research from Africa increased from 2016, with significant output reached in 2019. Water management and supply, hydrological modelling, flood monitoring as well as policies and decision-making, are some of the dominant themes found through keywords co-occurrence analysis. These main keywords may be considered as the foci of research in socio-hydrology. Although socio-hydrology research is still in the early stages of development in Africa, the cluster and emerging themes analysis provide opportunities for research in Africa that will underpin new frontiers of the research agenda encompassing topics such as the (1) impacts of climate change on socio-hydrology; (2) influence of socio-hydrology on water resources such as surface water and groundwater; (3) benefits of socio-hydrological models on river basins and (4) role of socio-hydrology in economic sectors such as agriculture. Overall, this study points to a need to advance socio-hydrology research in Africa in a bid to address pressing water crises that affect sustainable development as well as to understand the feedback mechanisms and linkages between water resources and different sectors of society.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joel O. Botai
- South African Weather Service, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Information Technology, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Miriam Murambadoro
- South African Weather Service, Pretoria, South Africa
- Global Change Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Abiodun M. Adeola
- South African Weather Service, Pretoria, South Africa
- Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Omolola M. Adisa
- Department of Information Technology, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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MacDonald MC, Elliott M, Langidrik D, Chan T, Saunders A, Stewart-Koster B, Taafaki IJ, Bartram J, Hadwen WL. Mitigating drought impacts in remote island atolls with traditional water usage behaviors and modern technology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 741:140230. [PMID: 32886988 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation to drought is particularly challenging on remote island atolls, such as those found in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), a nation of 58,000 populating 29 low-lying coral atolls spread over >2 million km2. Exposure to consecutive atmospheric hazards, such as meteorological floods and droughts diminish scarce water resources and erode the resilience of island communities. Drought impact mitigation measures must supply emergency drinking water to stricken communities, while simultaneously conserving natural sources in order to reduce their vulnerability to subsequent events. Household surveys (n = 298) and focus group discussions (n = 16) in eight RMI communities revealed that 86% of households have experienced drought and 88% reported using multiple water sources to meet normal household needs. With no surface water and a thin freshwater lens (FWL), rainwater collected from rooftops is the most common household water source. The traditional use of carved hollows in the base of coconut trees to collect rainwater ("Mammaks") appears to have been displaced by large rainwater tanks. However, rationing of rainwater for consumption only during drought was widely reported, with private wells supporting non-consumptive uses. Reverse osmosis (RO) desalination units have provided relief during drought emergencies but concerns have been raised around dependency, maintenance challenges, and loss of traditional water practices. Most notably, RO use has the potential to change the anthroposhpere by adversely affecting the FWL; 86% of RO units were installed at island-centre where excessive pumping can cause upconing, making the FWL brackish. Balancing the introduction of desalination technology to mitigate water shortages with maintenance of traditional water conservation practices to preserve the quantity and quality of the FWL is a promising strategy on island atolls that requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan C MacDonald
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia.
| | - Mark Elliott
- Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, University of Alabama, Box 870205, Tuscaloosa, AL 35407, USA
| | - Dustin Langidrik
- University of the South Pacific, Marshall Islands Campus, P. O. Box 3537, Majuro, MH 96960, Marshall Islands
| | - Terry Chan
- Monash Sustainability Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Angela Saunders
- International Organization for Migration, Majuro, MH 96960, Marshall Islands
| | - Ben Stewart-Koster
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Irene J Taafaki
- University of the South Pacific, Marshall Islands Campus, P. O. Box 3537, Majuro, MH 96960, Marshall Islands
| | - Jamie Bartram
- The Water Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, CB#7431, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Wade L Hadwen
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia; Griffith Climate Change Response Group, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
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Schell LM. Modern water: A biocultural approach to water pollution at the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 32:e23348. [PMID: 31713956 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The goal of this article is to review a body of research around water contamination conducted in the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation between 1995 and 2016, place these findings in a biocultural context, and consider implications for a human biology of water. METHODS This review draws on research projects conducted in partnership with the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation living along the St. Lawrence River as well as published research by others on water contamination at Akwesasne. Quantitative and qualitative methods including toxicological and epidemiological methods, surveys, and ethnographic studies are included. RESULTS Pollution of a river with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminated local fish, a major, traditional, food source. Following health advisories to avoid consuming local fish, consumption and PCB levels decreased. PCB levels were negatively associated with health outcomes. In adolescents, higher PCB levels were associated with advanced sexual maturation in females, reduced testosterone in males and reduced thyroxine levels in young adults. Avoiding fish consumption altered traditional dietary patterns and social interactions, generational transmission of knowledge, and relations between generations, all of which impacted cultural forms and may have added to the perceived injustices in this Native American community. Items substituted for fish may have contributed to increasing rates of obesity as well. CONCLUSIONS Water pollution has immediate direct health consequences as well as cultural impacts related to changed food consumption and altered patterns of social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence M Schell
- Department of Anthropology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
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Tucker B. Où vivre sans boire
revisited: Water and political‐economic change among Mikea hunter‐gatherers of southwestern Madagascar. ECONOMIC ANTHROPOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/sea2.12160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bram Tucker
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of Georgia Athens GA 30602 USA
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