Toward Relationality in Infectious Disease Research

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Epidemiology
• Indigenous Studies

Background:

• Climate change is increasingly linked to infectious disease outbreaks and health infrastructure damage.
• Indigenous communities possess millennia-old knowledge of ecological and human health interdependence, termed relationality.
• Relationality emphasizes interconnectedness with landscapes, animals, plants, humans, ancestors, and spiritual entities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate a generalized concept of relationality applicable to infectious disease research.
• To demonstrate how relational methodologies can enhance climate and health research.
• To highlight the role of colonialism in climate change and infectious disease.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing relational methodologies that prioritize interdisciplinary thinking and community reciprocity.
• Applying a generalized concept of relationality without exploiting specific Indigenous knowledge.
• Analyzing the entanglement of colonialism, pathogens, and scientific study.

Main Results:

• Relational methods reveal colonialism as a fundamental cause of both climate change and infectious disease.
• Understanding infectious diseases requires accounting for colonialism's impact on pathogens and research.
• Interdependence of ecological and human health is central to understanding disease dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Relationality offers a vital framework for understanding climate change and infectious disease.
• Addressing these issues necessitates acknowledging and repairing ongoing colonial violence.
• Integrating relational methods will improve climate and health research outcomes.