Making up more than ten percent of Alaska's population, Native Alaskans are the state's largest minority group. Yet most non-Native Alaskans know surprisingly little about the histories and cultures of their indigenous neighbors, or about the important issues they face. This concise book compiles frequently asked questions and provides informative and accessible responses that shed light on some common misconceptions. With responses composed by scholars within the represented communities and reviewed by a panel of experts, this easy-to-read compendium aims to facilitate a deeper exploration and richer discussion of the complex and compelling issues that are part of Alaska Native life today.
Buildings of Alaska traces Alaska's architecture from the earliest dwellings made of sod, whalebone, and driftwood to the glass and metal skyscrapers of modern-day Anchorage. Focusing on the various cultural traditions that have helped shape the state's architecture, the volume also explores how Alaska's buildings reflect Alaskans' attempts to adapt to the unique conditions of their environment. Alison K. Hoagland examines the contributions to the state's architectural history of three major cultural groups: native Alaskans, Russian settlers, and Americans from the lower 48. Divided into six regions - South Central, Southeastern, Interior, Northern, Western, and Southwestern - entries cover such structures as aboriginal houses, Russian Orthodox churches, log roadhouses, false-front commercial buildings constructed during the gold rush, concrete Moderne public buildings of the 1930s, and high-rise office buildings erected during the oil boom of the 1970s and 1980s. Buildings of Alaska contains over 250 magnificent photographs, drawings, and maps, and will serve as an authoritative reference for scholars and students of architectural history, a compelling source of information for the general reader, and a splendid guidebook for the traveler.
This book assesses Alaskan wolf and bear management programs from scientific and economic perspectives. Relevant factors that should be taken into account when evaluating the utility of such programs are identified. The assessment includes a review of current scientific knowledge about the dynamics and management of large mammalian predator-prey relationships and human harvest of wildlife in northern ecosystems, and an evaluation of the extent to which existing research and management data allow prediction of the outcome of wolf management or control programs and grizzly bear management programs. Included is an evaluation of available economic studies and methodologies for estimating the costs and benefits of predator control programs in Alaska.
This book is both a discussion of key decisions Alaskans must make in coming years and a case study of problems of public finance and policy that accompany shifts in power. Originally published in 1962
A memoir in which Julia Scully recalls the time she spent living in an orphanage with her sister following her father's suicide, and discusses how her life changed when her mother leased a roadhouse and moved them to the tiny settlement of Taylor, Alaska, which quickly became a boomtown when thousands of American troops were sent there following the outbreak of World War II.
Many U.S. citizens and policymakers look to Alaska as a resource storehouse for the remaining years of 1980s and beyond. This book examines the federal and state policies, economic and political constraints, and social consequences of Alaskan resources development during two decades.
Building a foundation. Gathering wood. Overcoming limits. It's all about building a dream, and Fran Kelso tells how in Alaskan Attitudes, her personal memoir about living alone on the Alaskan homestead. Kelso had always wanted to build a home and live on Spruce Island, Alaska. But when it's time to start building, her husband announces he wants a separation. Facing the end of her marriage and possibly the end of her dream, she decides to go on with the help of friends and moves forward with her plan-alone. Taking a leap of faith is harder than Kelso imagined, however. She moves into a home with only a three-burner Coleman stove for cooking, and no electricity, phone, or running water. A boat serves as her primary means of transportation. Her time alone teaches her persistence, determination, and a willingness to do the hard work required. Most importantly, she learns to believe in herself. In the hopes of setting a road map for others to follow in her footsteps, Kelso shares how she achieved her dream in this inspirational guidebook that demonstrates how having the right attitude can get you through life.
Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.
The reported population of American Indians and Alaska Natives has grown rapidly over the past 20 years. These changes raise questions for the Indian Health Service and other agencies responsible for serving the American Indian population. How big is the population? What are its health care and insurance needs? This volume presents an up-to-date summary of what is known about the demography of American Indian and Alaska Native populationâ€"their age and geographic distributions, household structure, employment, and disability and disease patterns. This information is critical for health care planners who must determine the eligible population for Indian health services and the costs of providing them. The volume will also be of interest to researchers and policymakers concerned about the future characteristics and needs of the American Indian population.
