Fall / Winter 2005/ 2006 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… NNoortrthheerrnn NNootteess The Newsletter of the International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) Published by the IASSA Secretariat, Ilisimatusarfik, University of Greenland, PO Box 279, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland, tel.: +299 324 566; fax: +299 324 711; e-mail: [email protected]; Internet: www.iassa.gl; editors: Yvon Csonka ([email protected]), Inge Seiding ([email protected]) ISSN 1816-9767 (online), ISSN 1817-0404 (print) In this issue: Features From the President................................................ 1 Report from UArctic Council Meeting…………15 Short report on the IASSA Council Meeting........ 3 ICASS VI First Announcement............................ 5 Departments ICASS V Keynotes publication............................ 6 Calls for submissions …………………………..17 IPY 2007-2008: The Clock is Ticking ................. 7 For students……………………………………. 18 ICARP II........................................................... ..11 Conferences & Meetings ……………………….19 Report from Arctic Council SDWG and SAO New books, dissertations & film…...…………...23 Meetings ........................................................... ..13 On the Web…………………………………….. 30 From the President respected in all high circles dealing with Arctic “Why join IASSA?” Twelve years ago, the founding president of our association, Ludger research and, together with other institutions, it has Müller-Wille, was opening his editorial with this managed to impose the social sciences, and the question (IASSA Newsletter Fall/Winter 1993). The voices of indigenous and other Arctic residents, as answers he provided proved convincing, since our matters of course in the planning, funding and association has grown to a current membership of conduct of research. Let us consider the giant leap, 560 persons in 22 countries. But why become or under those aspects, between earlier International remain a member of IASSA today? Polar Years, and the one that is now imminent (see contribution by Igor Krupnik and Grete Hovelsrud, The tangible, direct benefits remain, such as this below as well as in past issues), or the “paradigm Newsletter, occasional publications (the shift” that has taken place between the first International Conference of Arctic Research Proceedings of ICASS V are on their way to you just now, see announcement page 6 below), the Planning (ICARP I, in 1995), and the very recent website, the electronic discussion list, and the right ICARP II (more below). For each of us, the to participate in the International Congresses of lobbying efforts carried out over the years by our Arctic Social Sciences (see the first announcement Association on behalf of the community of Arctic social scientists, which it can legitimately claim to of ICASS VI page 5 below). represent, are beginning to translate into increased Other benefits of IASSA membership have research opportunities, and easier access to and increased steadily since the foundation of the greater abundance of funding. This, as well as association. IASSA has become well known and increased acceptance by other stakeholders, among whom our colleagues from the natural sciences, represent very concrete enhancements of our of a secretariat—thus, intervening years are lean professional lives. Needless to say, such benefits ones. Furthermore, quite a few pay membership are indirect in the sense that they accrue to the dues in connection with their registration to entire community, not only to IASSA members. participate in an ICASS, but let their membership Being member of an Association and paying lapse when they don’t attend the next Congress. membership dues regularly is thus, here as in many We surmise that this “conference effect” explains other spheres of social life, also a matter of the current under-representation of Europe-based responsibility and solidarity towards the members (currently 14 % of all members, see community. graph below), and the corresponding over- representation of North America (USA 39 %, The financial situation of IASSA, precisely, is Canada 19 %), where the last two ICASS took modest but sound. We are however facing a place. Being located as they are at the juncture of strained treasury situation this year. This is due in Europe and America, the current IASSA secretariat great part to the fact that membership fees are paid and upcoming ICASS VI should contribute to every three years, usually in connection with restore balance in this regard. registration to the ICASS that concludes the term IASSA membership by countries, as of December 2005 (N=568) Rest of world United Kingdom 2% Canada 2% 19% Norway Russia 2% 24% Greenland 2% Finland Europe 2% 14.1% Denmark 2% Estonia 1% Germany 1% Sweden 1% USA Rest of Europe 39% 3% In order to avoid the high costs of printing and time be downloaded from the website mailing, and considering that access to internet is www.iassa.gl. Members are welcome to comment now very widespread, this very issue of the on the future form of Newsletter delivery, by Newsletter is published electronically only. IASSA sending an e-mail to [email protected] or by is thus following a trend set by other institutions letter to the postal address. comparable to ours. Those members for whom we have an e-mail address will receive this issue only The above were among the considerations and as an electronic file. A limited number of hard decisions taken at the first face to face IASSA copies will be mailed to the few members who did Council meeting of this term, that took place not provide an e-mail address, and to libraries. November 8-9, 2005, in Copenhagen (see This, and back issues of the Newsletter can at any summary report below). The Council also ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 Northern Notes Fall/Winter 2005/2006 considered that the limited financial means of high profile international and multi-disciplinary IASSA could be put to better use by introducing initiatives such as the Arctic Climate Impact new services to its members and to the community Assessment (ACIA), ICARP, and IPY. Multi- at large. It considered making available on its disciplinary projects within the human and social website a database of Arctic social scientists, a sciences themselves do not quite yet reach the project which might be realized in the near future. same high profile and expected level of funding. Monitoring Arctic human development (follow up The IASSA Council meeting was held, like quite a to the AHDR) remains actual, but it does not raise few other important meetings (ACIA and AHDR quite as much interest (and, presumably, funding) follow up, IPY Consultative Open Forum, etc.) in as climate induced (social) changes. In the conjunction with the second International meantime, the first program for internationally Conference on Arctic Research Planning, ICARP coordinated fundamental research in the II. Being among the sponsors of that important humanities and social sciences in the North, conference, in which human and social sciences BOREAS (see Vitebsky and Klein in the previous were represented on a par with the natural issue of the Newsletter), is about to begin in sciences, IASSA found it an optimal venue for its earnest: the results of the evaluation of full Councilors to meet—and thereafter participate in proposals for Collaborative Research Projects will the main conference and in other side meetings. be known in January, and projects will be carried We cannot fail to stress that the ICARP II out over the next three to four years. It remains Conference Statement (reproduced below) important to impose the evidence that investigating highlights a “paradigm shift to a […] holistic human affairs per se is as worthwhile and useful, perspective [that] integrally includes the human and therefore as worthy of funding, as researching dimension, Indigenous insights and a more full the natural world. integration of Arctic processes in the earth system” (italics in the original). I wish you pleasurable reading, and a year to the It becomes increasingly clear that Arctic social measure of your hopes and expectations! sciences have managed to become full partners in Yvon Csonka ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Short report on the IASSA Council meeting, Copenhagen, Nov. 8-9, 2005 The current IASSA Council held its first face to edited and printed in, and will be mailed out of face meeting recently, back to back with ICARP II. Fairbanks before the end of this year. Any IASSA Seven of the eight Council members participated. funds left will then be transferred to the current Inge Seiding, secretary of the association, and secretariat. At the Nuuk secretariat, Inge Seiding Klaus Georg Hansen, webmaster, were also in took over as secretary in September after Najâraq attendance. The meeting was funded, beside Paniula obtained a full time position with the participants’ own travel grants, by an ad hoc Greenland Home Rule. subsidy from KVUG, the Danish-Greenlandic Commission for Scientific Research in Greenland. Finances The Greenland Home Rule representation in As the fiscal year is not over yet, the current Copenhagen kindly allowed us to meet in its secretariat did not present a definitive financial premises. A number of discussions and decisions statement. Main income since the takeover from were prepared by preliminary discussions by e- Fairbanks are: leftover from Fairbanks term, a one- mail over the preceding months. time subsidy