29 March 2026 | 10:00 - 11:45 CEST / UTC+2
Open Session - HYBRID
Room: Merete Barker Auditorium
Session Description:
This session focuses on people, communities and governance in the Arctic. It includes topics such as socio-economic change, health and well-being, education, governance and policy, and how different knowledge systems and values shape adaptation to environmental and societal change.
Keynote: Dr. Gert Mulvad
Oral presentations:
Name: Upasak Bose (South Ural State University)
Title of presentation: Problems of socio-economic sustainability in single industry monotowns of Arctic region
Abstract text: Mono-towns are referred to towns or urban settlements with heavy dependence on a single industry or sector with one or two companies forming city-forming enterprises. These are settlements where the majority of the population are employed by a dominant company controlling the majority share of the city’s economy. Mostly such companies are engaged in manufacturing, mining or exploration activities and require labour for mass production. Such settlements have little or no scope for industrial diversification with high rates of unemployment and out-migration of talent in search of better career opportunities. As a result of this, there is steady degradation of existing social and economic infrastructure with loss of opportunities for modern models of development. Although such cities are primarily located in the Russian Arctic, the problem of economic diversification is a general problem in the Arctic region across all Arctic countries. These settlements already have existing resources and infrastructure required for modern economies but requiring up-gradation and modernization. With new investments in modern sectors with aggressive diversification, these cities have the capacity to become modern economic nodes in the Arctic region with localized socio-economic development models. In order to achieve this goal, there is a need for changes in regional socio-economic policies with focus on establishment of new educational institutions and industries with focus on requirements of modern economies driven by technology and innovation. Special policies should be framed and implemented in areas of creative and knowledge economies, innovation and entrepreneurship that require overhaul of existing socio-economic models in these settlements. In this presentation, the author will highlight some of the common problems in Arctic monotowns and suggest ways for improvement. This will be done keeping in mind the problems of Arctic indigenous populations, their unique ways of life and sustainable models of development.
Name: Marine Duc (University of Reims Champagne Ardenne)
Title of presentation: Language, families, and the coloniality of education: how students from Kalaallit Nunaat learn Danish
Abstract text: In recent years, Kalaallit Nunaat has seen an increase in the number of people with higher education qualifications, despite the coloniality of the education system. As students advance further in their academic trajectories, the language and geographical location of academic programs increasingly function as mechanisms of socio-academic stratification. However, many transclass students, who identify as Inuit or Kalaallit, are enrolled in prestigious Danish university programs. In line with postcolonial approaches to student migration and intersectional (class and race) approaches to socialization, this paper focuses on the construction of the relationship to legitimate culture, and in particular, the acquisition of the Danish language, among students from Kalaallit Nunaat enrolled in Danish higher education. Focusing on modes of language acquisition serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, the aim is to move away from the idea that children raised in Kalaallisut-speaking households are somehow fated – by a kind of academic astrology -, to follow school trajectories marked by failure. Pathways that lead students to Denmark are not the exclusive preserve of those whose dispositions align neatly with academic norms. On the other hand, the goal is to move beyond victimizing approaches of the colonial legacy by examining how coloniality is re-enacted, reproduced, and at times contested within the processes of elite formation. I draw on data from a doctoral thesis defended in 2022, which brought together some 50 biographical interviews with students from Kalaallit Nunaat in Denmark. The paper will begin by outlining a typology of how legitimate language was transmitted among these elites in training. It will then examine how these transmissions inform us not only about the construction of families' relationships to schooling, but also, more broadly, on the intimate negotiations of the colonial legacy.
Name: Marya Rozanova-Smith (The George Washington University), Andrey N. Petrov
Title of presentation: Towards Compassionate Governance in the Arctic: Why Institutional Kindness Matters In Times of Crisis?
Abstract text: Governance systems in the Arctic are highly diverse. They include a complex and multi-layered interplay of national, regional, Indigenous and municipal governments, non-governmental Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations, economic development corporations, and many other institutions. In this context, policy responses require not only coordination between public institutions and other key stakeholders, but also a nuanced understanding of Indigenous cultures, community needs and ethical principles that guide public policies. We argue that to navigate these complexities successfully, institutional kindness has the potential to both enhance collaboration among governance institutions and strengthen relationships between public institutions and community members.Institutional kindness refers to a value-based, person- and community-centered approach to public service, in which humanity and responsiveness are embedded within the structures, policies, and daily practices of public-sector institutions. The concept of institutional kindness, especially when viewed through an Indigenous lens, holds particular significance for Arctic regions, where many Indigenous communities face climate crisis, geographic remoteness, limited connectivity, health disparities, and insufficient social infrastructure.This research draws insights from lived experiences of Alaska Indigenous women during the COVID-19 crisis period with a particular focus on interactions with government entities, Native corporations, and non-profit organizations. These narratives shed light on examples of principles of institutional kindness as well as unkind and ineffective institutional practices in response to the crisis. Our results demonstrate that institutional kindness is a critical part of value-driven and culturally-informed governance in the Arctic that, when implemented, contributes to positive governance outcomes. A shift to compassionate governance will be instrumental in effectively enacting policies and serving community needs.
Name: Sonja Castañeda Dower (University of Chicago)
Title of presentation: Collective Landholding and the Politics of Environmental Governance: The Ambler Road Debate in Alaska
Abstract text: How do democratic states govern extractive frontiers where sovereignty, property, and environmental regulation are divided across multiple political orders? Nowhere is this question more visible than in the Arctic, where climate change, mineral demand, and Indigenous authority converge to test the limits of state capacity. The proposed Ambler Road—an industrial corridor intended to link a mineral-rich region of northwest Alaska to the state’s road system—has become a study in how governments balance development, regulation, and consent. This paper examines how environmental and property institutions structure decision-making in contested infrastructure projects. Using environmental-impact statements, Bureau of Land Management right-of-way filings, and public communications from federal, state, and Alaska Native organizations (2014–2025), we trace how actors invoked environmental review, consultation, and claims of “public interest” to advance or resist construction. We show how overlapping environmental and property regimes—particularly the alignment of BLM authority with Native corporation ownership—shaped the strategic use of legal and administrative tools over time. This strategy space widened after a set of administrative land transfers under the Trump administration reallocated key BLM lands to extraction-friendly Native entities, narrowing the scope of federal oversight. The Ambler Road controversy reveals how governance systems built around layered jurisdiction and collective landholding structure conflict and shape decision-making. The findings show how actors use formal tools—not only to assert claims, but to influence the timing, terms, and viability of large-scale infrastructure. More broadly, the analysis links environmental politics to questions of jurisdiction, consent, and the distribution of authority in resource-rich democracies.
Name: Bodil Hoffmeyer (Steno Diabetes Center Greenland. Insistute of Health and Nature, lisimatusarfik. Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen)
Title of presentation: Maternal and child health in Greenland: the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
Abstract text: Background:
Maternal–child health among Inuit populations faces significant challenges, including elevated rates of preterm birth, stillbirth, and neonatal death, yet remains understudied. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including chronic hypertension and high blood pressure beginning in pregnancy such as preeclampsia, increase the risk of pregnancy and birth complications. Preeclampsia is characterized by elevated blood pressure with signs of maternal organ damage. It affects about 4.6% of deliveries worldwide and is a leading cause of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality.
Aim:
To investigate the prevalence of HDP, including preeclampsia, in Greenland, identify risk factors, and evaluate its impact on adverse outcomes.
Methods:
The project used data from electronic medical records covering all births in Greenland from 2019–2025. HDP, including preeclampsia, was defined by diagnosis codes, laboratory results, and prescriptions of antihypertensive medication. Risk factors and adverse outcomes were identified by logistic regression.
Results:
From 2019–2023, 3,850 pregnancies were included. The mean maternal age was 28.0 (IQR: 23.0–32.0), 91% were of Greenlandic origin, 52.8% had a pregestational BMI ≥ 25 kg/m². The prevalence of HDP was 11% and of preeclampsia 4.3%. The main risk factors for HDP were maternal age ≤ 25 years (OR 1.25 95%CI: 0.99–1.57) or ≥ 35 years (OR 1.64 95%CI: 0.85–2.15) and increasing BMI (OR 1.05 95%CI: 1.03–1.06 per 1 kg/m² increase). HDP was associated with increased odds of any adverse outcome (adjusted OR 2.76 95%CI: 2.23–3.47) including preterm birth (adjusted OR 3.35 95%CI: 2.50– 4.46), birth weight < 2,500 g (adjusted OR 5.73 95%CI: 3.77–8.62), and cesarean section (adjusted OR 2.65 95%CI: 1.99–3.49).
Conclusion:
In Greenland, HDP and preeclampsia prevalence aligns with global estimates, and the identified risk factors are consistent with the literature, but their substantial impact on maternal and child health highlights the need for prevention and timely treatment.