Jennifer Poudrier (2007)
Existing research on ‘thrifty gene’ hypothesis relies on and reinforces “problematic and intersecting binaries” such as “civilized/primitive, Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal and science/culture.” (p. 239)
Poudrier seeks to “de-naturalize” and decolonize the theory.
This means, among other things, that any discussion of the intersection of race, health, and genetics for Indigenous peoples must include voices and perspectives of those people at a foundational level.
She uses this perspective to confront two implicit assumptions of a ‘thrifty gene’ analysis of the Indigenous population of the Oji-Cree of Sandy Lake, Ontario:
- genetic homogeneity, and
- validity of the the comparative groups.