At the Arctic Circle in Finland, Rovaniemi, we are frantically putting the finishing touches to the programme of the biennial conference of the Finnish Anthropological Society, from 21-23 March 2023. The programme is now online, here . More on the keynotes below, . Alla and Puti Okotetto enact their relation with cards, Yamal Peninsula, Sabetta, …
Continue reading Relations and beyond – keynotes by Vitebsky, Strathern and Ingold to be streamed
This semester we are proud to host two cutting-edge anthropology scholars as visiting professors here at the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi, Lapland: Hiroki Takakura, Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University and Otto Habeck, Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Hamburg Anyone is welcome to join a series of three lectures by our …
Some of us Arctic anthropologists may not have China on the immediate radar of their interest. However, China has become an increasingly important player in the Arctic, through various projects such as the Arctic Silk Road, their interest in Arctic Council membership, and their Arctic Policy. Our colleagues from the Nordic Network on Chinese Thought …
For the first time, an Arctic Anthropology team hosts the conference of the Finnish Anthropological Society, to be held from 21-23 March 2023 in Rovaniemi. Many still imagine the Arctic as a place with few or no people. In anthropology, the Arctic is a marginal field. We aim to change this, and turn this conference …
On October 3rd our colleagues from the University from the "Sustainable Naturecultures" research group at the Faculty of Social Sciences host an interesting film screening including discussion with the film makers. This could be of interest for all of us who deal with human-animal relations. The film "In the Name of the Wild" explores "wildness" …
In the European Arctic Midsummer nowadays marks mostly the start of the summer holidays. But at the roots of this big holiday, celebrated on or close to the longest day of the year, are pre-christian traditions. Asking from the spirits for a good harvest and for protection from evil forces were at the centre of …
Continue reading Arctic Midsummer – party time with pagan roots
Many herders, especailly in the Sub-Arctic, are threatened by the increased number of wolves, eating entire reindeer herds. In Australia they go the opposite way now: they try to revive a species of wolf that went extinct in the early 20th century, the last one from Tasmania in 1936. It's a genetics lab experiment that …
It was more than ten years ago during our first visit to Santa Claus village – a tourist attraction in Rovaniemi in the north of Finland. My 6-year-old daughter asked Santa Claus why his reindeer can fly in the sky. Surely, this could not be true! Last summer, when she was in the Yamal tundra, she did …
Continue reading If Santa Claus’ reindeer can fly, what about other reindeer?
Harlingen's harbour is usually half-empty on normal days. There are a few tall ships standing alone in water and many private modern yachts. Suddenly, among them you can notice an unusual vessel that is very different from other ships. This is de Witte Swaen (the White Swan) a reconstruction of a ship of the XVI …
Indigenous knowledge, or better indigenous ways of knowing, have been key to anthropological debates on human-environment relations in the Arctic, even more so since climate change has increased the interest in this field of ours so much. Everyone is welcome if you like, to a discussion about a recent article in Current Anthropology on indigenous …
Continue reading Decolonising indigenous knowledge? Reading circle 12 May 2022 noon Finnish time
Arctic Anthropology 