Abstract
In the Marshall Islands, a history of extensive nuclear weapons testing and covert biomedical research, coupled with the U.S.’s ongoing military presence in the country, has severely compromised the health of the local population. Despite the U.S.’s culpability in producing ill health along with high rates of emigration from the islands to the mainland United States, the large portion of Marshallese who reside in the United States face substantial barriers to accessing health care. Drawing from ongoing field research with a Marshallese community in Arkansas, this article explores the multifaceted impediments that U.S.-based Marshall Islanders face in receiving medical treatment. Calling on an expansive and inclusive notion of neocolonialism, I argue that Marshallese structural vulnerability with regard to health and health care treatment derives from their status as neocolonial subjects and from their limited claims to health-related deservingness associated with this status.L??mn?ak ko r?ttin?o: Ilo M?ajel?, juon bwebwenato k?n k?mm?lmel im nuclear baam? ko im ekkatak ko r?ttin?o? k?n w?wein an baijin ko jel?t armej, bar?inw?t an to an ri tarinae ro an Amedka p?d ilo ael?n? kein, em??j an jel?t ?jmour an armej ro ilo ael?n? kein. Men?e alikkar bwe Amedka in ear jino nan?inmej kein im ej un eo armej rein rej em?m?ak?t j?n ?ne kein ?ne er n?an ioon Amedka, el?n? iaan ri M?ajel? rein rej jelm?ae el?n? apan? ko n?an aer del?o?n?e jikin ?jmour ko. J?n ekkatak eo ej b?k jikin ki?, jerbal in ej etali kab?jrak rak kein r?l?n? im armej in M?ajel? ro ioon Amedka in rej jelm?ae ilo aer jibad?k lo?k jikin takt?. Ilo an kar Amedka jibad?k juon jea eo eutiej imej?n lal? in, ij kwal?ok juon a? akweelel bwe apan? ko an armej in M?ajel? ikijjeen ?jmour im jikin takt? ej itok j?n aer kar ri k?m?akoko ilo an kar Amedka lel?n? l?o?k etan ilo mej?n lal? im j?n aer jab pukot jipan kein ej aer bwe k?n j?kj?k in.