Relations and beyond – keynotes by Vitebsky, Strathern and Ingold to be streamed

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, …

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Greenland’s South: Inuit pastoralists in a rapidly changing Arctic environment

The first thing flying into Kangerlussuaq, Greenland reminds us that this is 'properly' Arctic. For most people who call the North home, the Arctic is further up North from where they live. But for the incomers, the Arctic is appealing! Usually we associate Inuit livelihood with hunting, both terrestrial and sea-mammal, beautiful material culture, handicrafts …

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New Book in Sámi Studies Illuminates the Diversity of Sámi Worlds

A major contribution to Sámi Studies, The Sámi World presents a diversity of research topics from across Sápmi, providing rich and multifaceted understandings of Sámi worlds. The book has been edited by Sanna Valkonen, Professor of Sámi Research, and researchers Áile Aikio, Saara Alakorva and Sigga-Marja Magga from the University of Lapland. Written in English, …

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China – do we care?

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 …

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Deadline extended: submit session proposals until 15 October 2022: “Relations and beyond” conference, Rovaniemi

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 …

Continue reading Deadline extended: submit session proposals until 15 October 2022: “Relations and beyond” conference, Rovaniemi

Film screening: in the name of the wild

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" …

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An urgent and important initiative to move forward with EU support of Arctic research together with Indigenous communities

I would like to encourage you with this post to fill in a short anonymous survey on your experiences and challenges with the co-creation of knowledge here: https://survey.hifis.dkfz.de/351545 We know that collaborative methods and ways to co-create or co-produce knowledge are on everybody’s lips today when it comes to research on the territories of Indigenous …

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Arctic Midsummer – party time with pagan roots

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 …

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Resurrecting a wolf for conservation?

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 …

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Decolonising indigenous knowledge? Reading circle 12 May 2022 noon Finnish time

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 …

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