Students in American Samoa are faced with choosing between one of two careers: U.S. military or local employment. Most American Samoan students are not being prepared to pursue higher education because it is a long-term process that does little to address their immediate concerns for surviving poverty. Instead, many islanders join the Armed Forces as a way to help their family situation and enlist for the U.S. military, where it has the highest per capita death rate of any U.S. state or territory. This book examines how American Samoan students are cast early on to carry the burden ofproviding for the welfare of their extended families. It delves into the cultural norms and values that influence social construction and how higher education is ignored as a means for upward mobility and long-term economic growth. The book is addressed to educational and political professionals (both local and national) and the Samoan cultural leadership. It is also directed to researchers of Samoan culture and PacificStudies.
