The Pacific Island oceanic and rim nations include many traditional societies and emerging nations that have experienced abusive histories of colonization, exploitation, and social change and upheaval. Their peoples are struggling to restore traditional cultural heritages and identities in a world community dominated by Western values and lifestyles. The conflicts, uncertainties, and instability of this transitional time are reflected in these populations' current social and psychological difficulties. This volume is one of the few devoted to these issues and covering a range of problems including substance abuse, hopelessness, violence, crime, abuse, juvenile delinquency, suicide, and AIDS.

There are few books totally devoted to the psychology of this population

Zusammenfassung
The history of the Pacific Islands is noted for great upheavals, from colonization to tribal warfare, natural disasters to nuclear testing. This work aims to sensitively balance situations applicable across this vast geographical area with data and events relevant to individual nations in Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia.

Inhalt
Social Change in the Pacific Problems Old, Problems New, Problems Borrowed.- The Dynamics of Cultural Trauma: Implications for the Pacific Nations.- Globalization of Human Services for Indigenous Youth in the Northern Territory, Australia.- Fiji's Move into the 21st Century.- Federated States of Micronesia: Islands in the Sun.- Guam: Caught Amidst Change and Tradition.- Understanding Substance Use and Violent Behavior in a Native Hawaiian Community.- The Republic of the Marshall Islands.- Alcohol and Drug Use in Honiara, Solomon Islands: A Cause for Concern.- Building Capacity for Epidemiologic Surveillance of Alcohol and other Drug Problems in the US-Related Pacific Islands.- The Pacific Islands in Transition: Contrasts and Similarities.