"In the old days the vision of the present and future was often given in the creation and moral teachings of the community. In indigenous communities, often those visions emphasized the need for greater moral order, and for greater emphasis on spiritual balance among human nations and the rest of the powers and beings in the cosmic order. Sustaining balance through upholding moral and spiritual order were central themes. Humans struggled to maintain and uphold, improve moral and spiritual balances, since it was the best method for preserving the cultural and physical continuity of the community.

In some worldviews, the history of the world is marked by human efforts to maintain and obtain greater individual and national moral community. The breaking of spiritual law and moral order threatened the future of the community, and often the balance and continuity of the cosmic order. Failure to learn and develop stronger moral relations, in some worldviews, led to destruction of the world, and the formation of new world orders, where any surviving peoples engaged again in the individual and national quest to develop stronger moral relations within the nation and within the cosmic order.

Social theories reflect the fundamental values of a group. A vision of the current organization of the world, its strengths and weaknesses, and the ideal future community are often inherent within the assumptions of a social theory. Often social theories are weapons used to critique the present world and propose alternatives. The theories one chooses, the understanding or conceptualization of the world taken, and processes toward future well-being or community continuity, are critical issues."

Get the Story:
Duane Champagne: Identity and Theory (Indian Country Today 8/18)