...an international “shadow world” of military urbanresearch institutes and training centres that have been establishedto rethink military operations in cities could beunderstood as somewhat similar to the international matrixof elite architectural academies. However, according tourban theorist Simon Marvin, the military-architectural“shadow world” is currently generating more intense andwell-funded urban research programs than all these universityprograms put together...Eyal Wiezman, Lethal Theory

Flexibility

In the essay “Lethal Theory” by Eyal Weizmann we are introduced to the spatial military strategies of the IDF (Israeli Defence Force). By reading architectural theory the strategist gained a radical understanding of space that was instrumental for them in their planning and that gave them a strategic advantage over the Palestinian forces that they were fighting against. In the fights in Nabulus in 2002 a military strategy was implemented that was based on completely liberating oneself from the common conception of the basic elements of the city. The street, the alley, the plaza and the buildings that constitutes them. The practice of “walking through walls” was introduced as a result of this, and the troops moved through the fabric of the city through holes by blasting with explosives or by knocking holes with sledgehammers. No streets, doors or public spaces were used. But the buildings that defined these elements were completely saturated with the forces that moved through walls, floors and ceilings in an irregular pattern. The strategy that was used defined an understanding of the city not as the site of war,

but as the very medium that the troops moved through fluently in a fractalized and irregular manner.

“This space that you look at, this room that you look at, is nothing but your interpretation of it. Now, you can stretch the boundaries of your interpretation, but not in an unlimited fashion, after all, it must be bound by physics, as it contains buildings and alleys. The question is, how do you interpret the alley? Do you interpret the alley as a place, like every architect and every town planner does,to walk through, or do you interpret the alley as a place forbidden to walk through? - Brigadier General Aviv Kokhavi

There is a “shadow world” of military academies that deal with urban warfare that have a number of traits in common with academic institutions of architecture around the world that in many ways do more well-funded research on urbanity than all of the traditional institutions put together. One of these traits is the overlap of texts that are regarded as essential for both (Deleuze, Focault, Guattari, and Debord). The biggest difference is that the military academies are more successful in testing out and putting these theories into practice. This is because the distance between theory, practice

and feed-back is considerably shorter in this field than in any other form of architectural practice where “results” can only be collected after many years, if given any notice at all. This is regrettably something that has devastating implications for the people affected by it, and causes sufferings that is difficult to imagine. The sudden intrusion by a military force into the private domain is extremely traumatizing and the ultimate humiliation for the people who are victimized by it. This also challenges the belief that studies in philosophy and humanities has a civilizing effect when one takes into account what this extremely pragmatic reading of spatial theory has led to. This is probably not what the author imagined, even though Deleuze has said that it doesn’t matter if you understand all of his texts. You could use parts of it as you yourself saw fit...

If we for a moment choose not to focus on the negative sides of this example and rather look at the effectiveness between theories, practice and feed-back, one can be inspired. To use the terms “enemy” and “allied” in a discussion regarding planning and urbanity might not

work so well even though there in most cases are conflicts that should be recognized and accepted. The idea of the small military unit that operates as a part of a bigger network or swarm is also problematic in terms of resolving the big issues. Big investments and changes take time and should do so. Where it could be inspirational is for all the stuff that needs to happen in between this. How can we test out new ideas based on an understanding of space that is as open as what General Kokhavi speaks about and that we can read about in Doreen Massey’s texts? To introduce an operative unit that could function just as fluently as the ideas that you are testing out. And that could be as efficient in responding to the feed-back as it is in implementing the change.

Video stills of Israely military “Walking through Walls”(Eyal Wiezmann,Lethal Theory)

Work by Gordon Matta-Clark challenging the conception of space(From Gordon Matta-Clark by Corinne Diserens, Phaidon)

Unexpected Source of Inspiration

ARCTIC TERRAIN

SUBTERANEAN RESOURCE

OIL & GAS

MINERALS

SUMMER GRAZING SUMMER GRAZING

INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE

SEASONAL MIGRATION

EXTRACTION OFHANDICRAFT RESOURCES

REINDEERHERDING SAMIPOPULATION

NON-SAMI POPULATION

COSTAL SAMI POPULATION

WINTER GRAZING

WIND POWER RESOURCE

HYDRO POWER RESOURCE

MARINERESOURCES

CARBON FOSSILERESOURCE

Diagram showing some of the components of the arctic region.US military diagram showing the components of the urban structure. (Eyal Wiezmann,Lethal Theory)

Logical determinantsEnergy InjectionLogic Disruption

Sources Extraction

Systemation on Operational Manouver

“Formless” rival entetiesdichotomizing conception and perception

Nomadic Terrorists

From Decition to Strike Relativization of Strategic Action

The

DIa

lect

ics

of O

pera

tiona

l Pro

cess

ing

Met

hodo

logy

- C

onte

nt

The Rhizo

me Sys

tem as

Rati

onale

From

Loc

us to

Glo

bus:

Imita

tion

of W

ar

Betw

een Objectivism

and Sym

bolism

Wahabi War Machine Post-Modern Anarchists

BetweenConstitution

and Prostitution“Walking on the

wild side”

Velocity Vs. Rhythms

Between Differenceand Repetition:

The DIalectics of Structuring

and Structure

Operational command System

learning through DiscourseFractal ManouversStrike-Driven Raids

Hetrogenous MileusComplex systems

From N

etwork C

ermic-B

ased Analysis to C

yrbernetic-Driven Synthesis

Systemation of O

perational Learning

Force-Application as a

learning Mechanics

Destruction-

Deconstruction

From Symetry to Asymetry. Manipulation of cultural difference

Formative Implications NetworkingSwarming

Non-Contiguity

“Relationships among the operating soldiers create what wecall “a community of practice”: Operative and tactical commanders depend on one another and learn the problems throughconstructing the battle narrative. . . . Action becomes knowledgeand knowledge becomes action. . . . Without the possibility of adecisive result, the main benefit of operations is the very improve-ment of the system as a system”

“Theory is important for us in order to articulate the gapbetween the existing paradigm and where we want to go. . . .Without theory, we could not make sense of different events thathappen around us and that would otherwise seem disconnected. . .”

Shimon Naveh, retired brigadier general and director of the Operational Theory Research Institute.

Shimon Naveh’s PowerPoint slide marking “connection” between theoretical categories that inform his operational theory.

Note most categories refer to work of Deleuze and Guattari.(from “Lethal Theory” by Eyal Wiezmann)

Hierarchical System withouth Lateral Connections

Rhizomatic System where all parts are equally importantFractal System where units work independently together

To the left: Video Stills from Vimeo showing a Swarm of Birds in Flight.(http://vimeo.com/18813015)

Panorama showing the Landscape and the people and animals who inhabit itPersons found on Facebook

Animals that are shown are endangered species observed in that same area (source artskart.no)

Panorama showing the Landscape and the people and animals who inhabit itPersons found on Facebook

Animals that are shown are endangered species observed in that same area (source artskart.no)

REINDEER MIGRATION THROUGH KAUTOKEINO MUNICIPALITY

INFRASTRUCTURE IN KAUTOKEINOROADS - SKIDOO

PLANNED MINING AREA NATIONAL PARKS IN KAUTOKEINO MUNICIPALITY

GRAZING LAND BY SEASONSPRING - AUTUMN - AUTUMN/WINTER

DISTRICT 34 ABORASSA

IMPACT OF INTERVENTION IN NATUREPROTECTION OF PRISTINE LAND

HERDERS BASE ANDREINDEER MILLS

PLANTS AND ANIMALS AROUND BIEDJOVÁGGI

Activities on the grazing fields

There are 12 “units” of herd-ers that operate in Abborassa (district 34) along with 20 other herders that operate in a smaller scale. The photographs above are taken from the book, Boazojahki, Four seasons with the reindeer people by the photographer Trym Ivar Bergsmo. He lived and migrated with unit of reindeer herders,

the Eira family, for three years in their trek through Finnmark. The Eira family lives in Biedjovággi area during the autumn and the spring.

AutumnIn the autumn season there a ca. 8000 reindeers (including the calves) that migrate and graze in the district, there of 2000 animals

in Biedjovággi. During that time the reindeers are captured into mills (“kverna”) and separated either in group for slaughter or calves to be vaccinated. SpringDuring the spring season there are ca 5500 reindeers in the dis-trict. Approximately 2500 of those animals, use the land in Biedjo-

vággi area for calving. In addition there ca. 3000 reindeer that mi-grate through whole district.Around easter, most of the “units” gather for celebrate, where wed-dings are daily and competitions in sled race, ice-fishing or lasso-throwing are signified for the fes-tive mood for the herders.

giđđa - Spring

čakča - Autumn

TROMS COUNTY

KARASJOKMUNICIPALITY

1 of 1

0 1 2 3 4 5

Kilometer

Scale 1 : 250 000N

IMPACTS OF INTERVENTION OF MINING

0 1 2 3 4 5

Kilometer

Scale 1 : 100 000N

CONTAMINATED AREA SINCE PREVIOUS MINING ACTIVITY

DEVELOPMENT-AREA FOR ARCTIC GOLD AS WITH

KAUTOKEINO TOWN

The reindeer herders in district 34 have experienced that min-ing activities in the area, leave large damages (roads, quarries, mud ponds) in the landscape and grazing soil is permanently lost. The mining activities have also had impact on animals and plants in the area. In the past the min-ing didn’t´take any responsibil-ity to re-vegetate or clean up the fields after the mining activity was closed.

When it comes to the municipality of Kautokeino, they didn’t´make any premises for the mining com-panies when they left in the past. Back then there weren’t´any na-ture conservation act or miner-als act, but according to Nils Isak Sara, district-manager in Abbo-rassa, those acts do not protect the grazing land if the authori-ties don´t have the will to follow these acts. So, reindeer herding, as such a small industry, is quite

unique in that task, namely to protect the pristine land. We get little help from local authorities, even though that they are positive to such activities.It has unfortunately also experi-enced. The plan for the gold min-ing in Biedjovággi, that stretches over 19 km, can create 100 new jobs, but for how long is uncer-tain. There have been 2 periods of mining industry before, from 1970-1975 and 1985-1991 that

exemplifies that the resources can be used up in short period of time. It is unfortunately also bad news for us that the government has granted 100 million NOK for mapping mineral resources in northern Norway, especially in Finnmark then.

Interview with Nils Isak Sara, manager for District 34

THREATENED SPECIES AROUND BIEDJOVÁGGI

0 1 2 3 4 5

Kilometer

Scale 1 : 100 000N

Larus canus

Carex tenuiflora

Arctophila fulva

Gulo gulo

Carex cespitosa

Salix hastata

Anas strepera

Lemna trisulca

Coenagrion lunulatum

Canis lupus

Botrychium boreale

Alauda arvensis

FLEXIBILITY

“Når det gjelder spørsmålet om tilpasning, så er vi (og reinen) jo sågar nødt til å tilpasse oss, vi har ikke noe annet valg. Det er jo mange som sier at reinen kan tilpasse seg allslags utbygginger, men hva annet valg har reinen?Et annet moment er jo at gruveselskapene har en tendens til å utvide undersøkels-es/driftsområdene, så gir man dem “lillefingeren, så tar dem hele hånda”. det har vi dessverre også erfart.”

“When it comes to the question of adaptation, then we (and reindeer) the even have to adapt, we have no choice. There’s many who say that the deer can adapt to all kinds of developments, but what other choice have reindeer?Another factor is that mining companies tend to expand the investigation / operation areas, you give them “the little finger, then take

them all the hand”, it has unfortunately also experienced.”

Nils Isak Sara, reindeer herder and manager of district 34 Abborassa

Abandoned Mining Area In Biedjovággi in 1991 Mining Area In Biedjovággi in 1975

,,...to think ecologically is to think about fluent, adaptive systems that incorpo-rate feedback and change.“

,,It means that your thinking has to be every bit as fluent and adaptive as the kind of systems that you are talking about. In other words you can not apply rigid or dogmatic principals to systems that are themselves fluent, adaptable, changing and always incorporating feedback.“

,,...a way of thinking that mirrors the dynamism of ecological systems them-selves.“

Gregory Bateson, Steps to an Ecology of Mind

What can Israeli military strategies teach us?

The openness of the organization of the military unit that Eyal speaks of is inspirational for me and something that I hope could be implemented into a more peaceful situation. The proximity between where the theories are developed, where decisions are made and effects are assessed is also something that should be strived for. The smartness of the system is based on an understanding of the different units being able to self-govern themselves within a framework of an understanding of a common goal.

Who defines the unit? In an area like Kautokeino and Biedjovaggi that is faced with challenges that are proportionally out of scale compared to the size of the community new strategies should be developed. The picture of Kautokeino describes just a fragment of the complexity of the society it constitutes and should be kept in mind. The point here is not to oppose change and to say that mining for instance is always wrong, but that the problem arises when a flexible system like the reindeer herding business meets a less flexible system like open-cast mining. The lavvu meeting is good image of the kind of interaction that needs to take place. Ande Somby emphasized the role of the lavvu in times of crisis and how the architecture of the lavvu

was instrumental in “letting people talk” and letting the participants meet on equal terms. This was also mentioned by Svein Harald Holmen as important in his work in Vardø in when he arranged meetings with representatives of authority and locals. He also emphasizes the importance of dealing with tasks of a manageable size and that small communities need to address incremental changes in order to tackle them. The big plans collecting dust in some drawer at the office of the local municipality only made people depressed because it reminded them that “nothing ever happens here”. The Operational Theory Institute in this context is thus the lavvu meeting and this is where ideas could be developed, implementation planned and where the effects should be assessed. The example of the IDF shows us that an open understanding of space is essential to achieving a discussion that takes into account all possibilities.

The Operational Theory Institute