Colonization and health have an intricate relationship for indigenous peoples. For many indigenous groups, colonization brought with it diseases that proved devastating for peoples without immunity, but it also brought with it ideas of health that were different from those carried by the more than 5,000 groups that identify as indigenous today. With traditional approaches to health standing alongside mainstream structures in many nations today, health becomes a sphere where the politics of indigeneity and race are negotiated.

AlterNative: An international Journal of Indigenous Peoples seeks submissions for a special issue to be published on health later this year. Submissions are welcome which examine concepts of health through an indigenous focus, from traditional practices to issues facing mainstream approaches to indigenous peoples today.

AlterNative is a multi-disciplinary journal which presents indigenous worldviews from indigenous perspectives. The scope of this call for papers is therefore open to all practitioners working in branches of health, science, medicine and the social sciences, providing that the work has an indigenous focus. Potential topics may include (but are not limited to): health and wellbeing of indigenous peoples, healthcare provision, biopolitics, past and present customs surrounding health, self-determination, colonization and medicalization, epidemiology and substance abuse. We particularly encourage indigenous scholars working in health to submit.

Submissions and deadline details

AlterNative primarily accepts substantive articles (5000 – 7000 words) that address a particular indigenous topic/theme. We also accept short timely commentaries (2000-3000 words) that address critical issues. Reviews of indigenous books are also welcome.
Author guidelines for submitting articles, including formatting and referencing styles, are available on our website.

All submissions are subject to the peer review process.

Please upload your paper through the online portal: www.alternative.ac.nz.
This special volume on indigenous health is scheduled for publication in 2011, but we are happy to receive papers for consideration and publication in general issues all year round.