The Role of Social Sciences in theArctic in the 21st Century

Gail Fondahl, PhDPresident, IASSA

The Arctic in the First Decade of the 21st Century: Between Competition and Cooperation23 November 2012 Wroclaw, Poland

The Role of Social Sciences in the Arctic

Key Realizations• Fundamental causes and

consequences of change in the Arctic are social

• Solutions to deleterious effects of change are also social

• Integration of social and natural sciences is essential

Map of Today’s Talk• Key Changes in Arctic:

Social Science Dimensions• Key Arctic Social Science

Organizations

It’s about climate change

– and more

Climate change in the Arctic• Consequences of climate change

are primarily social

• Need to better understand – What factors influence individual &

collective responses – Political responses to climate change – Role of values, beliefs in perceptions

of climate change– Capacities to adapt (across space,

ethnicity, gender, etc)

SOCIAL SCIENCE ISSUES

Beyond Climate Change:Rapid Socio-Economic Change

Demographic Change

Economic Change

Political Change

Cultural Change

Changes in Well-Being

Who Lives in the Arctic?• Approx 4 M people • Approx 8% Indigenous (over

40 linguistic groups)

• Highly urbanized• A few large centres; rest of

population in very small, widely dispersed settlements

Demographic Change

• Declining Population in Many Areas

• Outmigration of Young/Working Age

Demographic Change

• Increased Urbanisation

• Growing Imbalance in Sex Ratio

• Growing Ethnic Diversity

The Arctic Economy

International Resource Economy

Transfer Economy

Traditional Economy

Key Changes in the Arctic Economy

Commoditization

Privatization

Geographical Concentration (continued)

Questions of Access, Benefits Distribution, Sustainability

Changes in the Arctic Economy, cont’d

Global rise in raw materials prices

Increased demand from East Asia

Increased Accessibility as a Driver of Change

Climate change, political change

Increased Shipping

Fisheries: Growth, Changes

Increased Mineral/Hydrocarbon Extraction

Increased Tourism

Political Change

End of cold war = reduced military tensions, cooperation

Decreased tensions – and relative situation related to other areas of globe – impacting desirability of resources, transport

routes New governance regimes

Culture Change

Mandatory Schooling, In-migration, Urbanisation, Wage Labor

Communications Technologies, Social Media

Mass Media/Global Culture

Cultural Stress

Cultural Adaptation, ‘Fusion’

Well-Being: Improvements, Heightened Disparities

Improved Health Services

Introduction of New Diseases

High Rates of ‘Social Pathologies’, Mental Illnesses

Arctic Social Sciences: Contributions

• Understanding drivers of change; complexities of processes

• Identification of trends; measuring human development in the Arctic

• Co-production of knowledge with local residents/stakeholders

• Building partnerships with natural scientists for integrated research

• Delivery of relevant knowledge to decision-makers, policy bodies, Arctic residents

Arctic Social Sciences: Key International Organizations

• International Arctic Social Sciences Association

• International Arctic Sciences Committee– Social & Human Working

Group

• University of the Arctic• Arctic Council Sustainable

Development Working Group

• Bottom-up• Circumpolar + • Encourages

interdisciplinary, trans-disciplinary research (including via ICASS)

• Members involved in key Arctic Social Science Projects

Canada19%

Denmark2%

Greenland2%

Finland4%

France4%

Germany2%

Iceland7%

Norway4%

Russia24%

Sweden3%

UK3%

USA19%

Other6%

Steering Group

Chair: Peter Schweitzer Vice-Chair: Sylvie Blangy Vice-Chair: Gail Fondahl Past Chair: Louwrens Hacquebord

Scientific Foci

Histories and methodologies of arctic sciences and arts

Indigenous peoples and change: adaptation and cultural and power dynamics

Human health and well-being

Cross-cutting

Perceptions and representations of arctic science

Social & Human Sciences Working Group

Exploitation of natural resources: past, present, future

Perceptions and representations of the Arctic

Security, international law and cooperation

Collaborative community research on climate change

Human health, wellbeing and ecosystem change

Competing forms of resource use in a changing environment

People and coastal processes

• Recognizes key social science projects– Arctic Human Development

Report-2– Arctic Social Indicators Project

• Observer status for key Arctic Organizations

• Social, Economic, Cultural Expert Group (under discussion)

Arctic Social Sciences:Looking Forward

• How do we make decisions in the face of uncertainty?– Key information from social sciences

• Critical to addressing challenges – in changing human-environment relations– In changing spheres of economy, politics, culture

Thank you