Aboriginal populations: Social, demographic and epidemiological perspectives [Book Review]

Frank Trovato and Anatole Romaniuk (eds) (2014) Aboriginal populations: social, demographic and epidemiological perspectives. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press.Reviewed by Robert DidhamThis edited volume contains 19 of papers presented at a symposium held at University of Alberta in October 2008. The preface outlines context, noting that the symposium was organized with thought in mind that a comprehensive understanding of social demographic transformations in Canadian Aboriginal population could be achieved through careful interdisciplinary analysis. The premise is that demography of Nations in Canada has reached a critical stage and that cross-disciplinary studies are well placed to advance our understanding. Were this all book achieves it would sit well amidst a host of other works devoted to indigeneity in Canadian context. The book however goes beyond this, and as such pulls together a large number of intersecting themes. Thus, it delivers more that preface promises but not quite as much as universality implied by title. The collection is, as with any collection of this type, a rather mixed bag, but one that well rewards a rummage. Collections of this type are rarely, if ever, read as a continuous process - reader scans and cherry picks, usually missing chapters entirely because they don't catch eye. In case of this book that is unfortunate because almost every chapter has much to offer.The introductory remarks by Frank Trovato and Anatole Romaniuk, both stalwarts of Canadian demography, and first chapter also by Romaniuk, do much more than give an overview. These pieces, taken together, outline contents of book as a whole, but they go beyond this and describe data constraints, conceptual issues and key topics of general interest in study of indigeneity. As such, first chapter should be considered essential reading for any course concerned with identity and counting of populations. The authors also provoke. The view they present is one that is rapidly changing - which they acknowledge well with recognition of increasing fuzziness - but they still focus on increasingly anachronistic aboriginal versus non-aboriginal dichotomous view of world which was already becoming problematic many decades ago and is clearly problematic for many of authors in this collection. This should provoke readers into rethinking this approach and exploring new directions, especially in complex field of Metis demography. The complexity of boundaries and origins between Nations, Metis and consequential emerging ethnicities, as well as huge diversity within colonial grouping of First nations are themes that one can expect to dominate ongoing research in this field, and present work will remain a useful starting point.The book is partitioned into four perspectives: demographic, epidemiological, sociological and international.The demographic perspective is a curious one. The first chapter is a thorough summary of history and development of Canada's indigenous populations. The clear passion Romaniuk has for topic makes this fascinating reading. The second chapter is more prosaic, less provocative, but fundamentally important. Goldmann and Delic explain how indigenous peoples in Canada have been counted or miscounted over last few centuries. There primary focus is of course on most recent period. Who gets counted or not counted, and who is counted as they choose and who has identities imposed on them are centrally important considerations. Goldmann and Delic describe well components of demographic growth, including a discussion on ethnic mobility. Much in this chapter resonates with histories of data collection outside of Canada - notably in New Zealand and Australia - making chapter highly relevant to aspects of demographic change beyond Canada.Verma's chapter on population projections moves discussion from past and present to future of indigenous populations in Canada. …

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