The Fallen Palm

Peter Rudiak-Gould is a doctoral student in Anthropology at the
University of Oxford, with research interests in climate change,
cognition, and applied anthropology. He is the author of
Practical Marshallese, a textbook for learning the language of
the Marshall Islands. Visit the author's website at
oxford.academia.edu/PeterRudiakGould/

The Marshall Islands, an archipelago of low-lying
coral atolls in Micronesia, have never been an easy
place to survive. The future will bring new
difficulties: sea level rise and other effects of
global climate change may render the entire country
uninhabitable within the lifetimes of its
inhabitants. This book examines local interpretations
of this doomsday prophecy, weaving into this story
related topics such as Marshallese notions of the
good life, narratives of cultural change, attitudes
towards Americans and foreign scientists, and
perceptions of lingering radiation from nuclear
testing. It includes a transcript of the author's
interview with the President of the Marshall Islands
regarding climate change, as well as an appendix
offering practical advice to activists who wish to
promote awareness and adaptation in communities
vulnerable to climate change. The study is based upon
ethnographic fieldwork in 2007 including interviews
in the Marshallese language, as well as the author's
experience as a volunteer teacher in a rural
Marshallese community from 2003 to 2004.