Indigenous womens carework and environmental pedagogy in select contemporary native American fiction

Title

Indigenous womens carework and environmental pedagogy in select contemporary native American fiction

Creator

Joseph, Alina; Narayana, Sharmila

Description

This article explores how Indigenous womens fiction functions as a site of environmental education, reimagining pedagogy through relational ethics, affective care, and land-based knowledge. Drawing on The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich (Chippewa), Crooked Hallelujah by Kelli Jo Ford (Cherokee), and The Removed by Brandon Hobson (Cherokee), the paper examines how storytelling, domestic labour, and ecological care become pedagogical practices that sustain cultural continuity. Grounded in Indigenous feminist and environmental humanities frameworks, the study integrates Leanne Betasamosake Simpsons (Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg) concept of land as pedagogy, Mishuana Goemans (Tonawanda Band of Seneca) idea of spatial sovereignty, Kelli Keelers (Cherokee Nation) theorization of land as agent, and Beth Piatotes (Nez Perce) notion of the feminine everyday. Together, these theories reveal how the everyday practices of Indigenous women enact sustainable learning rooted in reciprocity and care. The analysis demonstrates that these literary works do not simply represent ecological consciousnessthey perform ittransforming narrative into a relational curriculum. By situating Indigenous storytelling within environmental education, the article argues that carework, kinship, and ecological reciprocity form a decolonial pedagogy aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (Quality Education), (Climate Action), and (Life on Land). 2026 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Source

Environmental Education Research;

Date

01-01-2026

Publisher

Routledge

Subject

ecofeminism; environmental humanities; Indigenous pedagogy; land-based education; material memory; storytelling and ecology

Coverage

Joseph A., English Department, Christ University, Bangalore, India; Narayana S., Law Department, Christ University, Bangalore, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISSN: 13504622;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Article

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2026.2616706

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028916664?origin=resultslist