"The Commandor Islands Research Project" OPP-9817044 Swibold, Corbett
This project compares the processes of rapid social change among two Aleut communities: one in the Pribilof Islands (under U.S. jurisdiction) and the other in the Commandor Islands (under Russian jurisdiction). Both communities have experienced profound economic and social pressures, yet have retained crucial aspects of Aleut cultural identity, primarily in the form of language and oral traditions of the Aleut elders. The project includes interviews, participant observation, documentary film production, and photo documentation. An important element of the work is the researchers' partnership with both Aleut communities.
