Search

The Circumpolar region, comprising the Arctic territories encircling the North Pole, is home to diverse Indigenous cultures facing unique socio-economic challenges. Indigenous communities such as the Inuit, Sámi, Athabaskan, Gwitchin, and Russian Arctic groups exhibit rich traditions and adaptive practices tied to their environments. Environmental diversity, from icy tundra to boreal forests, influences livelihoods and biodiversity, while significant socio-economic disparities persist, impacting access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Against this backdrop, the global COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the intersection of environment, culture, and health in remote Arctic regions, presenting distinct challenges and opportunities. Initiated by a collaborative research project led by Fulbright Arctic Initiative Alumni, this special issue of the International Journal of Circumpolar Health explores the impacts of COVID-19 on Arctic Indigenous and rural communities. Building on previous work and recommendations, the issue features community case studies, highlighting community experiences and collaborative approaches to understand and address the pandemic’s effects. The authors highlight both positive and negative societal outcomes, presenting community-driven models and evidence-based practices to inform pan-Arctic collaboration and decision-making in public health emergencies. Through sharing these insights, the special issue aims to privilege local and Indigenous knowledge systems, elevates community responses to complex and multifaceted challenges, and contributes to the evidence base on global pandemic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SAMINOR Study represents a unique data collection on health and diseases among the multiethnic population – including the Sámi population in Norway – making it a case study for discussing Sámi research data governance in a health context. This article describes how Sámi interests and needs in the SAMINOR Study are governed by two steps of a research application review process consisting of the SAMINOR project board and the Sámi Expert Ethical Committee for Sámi Health Research. We explore how these two steps align with the CARE principles for Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, and Ethics, which are global principles for Indigenous data governance and promote Indigenous data sovereignty. The CARE principles stress the importance of Indigenous self-determination and control, tangible benefits, ethical use, and the promotion of Indigenous values and equity. We found compliance between most of the main and sub- principles but observed the need to address reuse and data sharing more explicitly. The CARE principles do not consider ownership of research data, which for the SAMINOR study is outside of Sámi people's control, hence we question whether Indigenous data sovereignty is achieved for the SAMINOR data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We focus on the governance of the stories collected by the Norwegian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which are transferred to the National Archives. As stated by the National Parliament of Norway, the archived interviews constitute a resource for future research, and the TRC was mandated to make guidelines concerning the reuse for the material. While being a significant asset, the reuse of the interviews in research is accompanied by challenges of ethics and governance of the material. By studying TRC documents on data management, including the guidelines on accessibility to the data, we discuss the quality and ethics in the reuse of, as well as ownership and access to, the interview data. The discussion draws on the CARE Principles of the Indigenous Data Governance framework due to attention to ethics concerning the interviewees' right to be informed about the reuse and reinterpretation of the interview data in future research, Sámi participation in the design and management of guidelines on accessibility, and ownership and governance of these data. The studied documents do not contain any information about whether those who have withdrawn their stories from publicity have been informed that data can be passed on to researchers. Nor can we identify any information about the interviewees' right to be informed about how their stories can be used in research. Our review leads us argue for a revision of the current guidelines on accessibility to secure central elements of research ethics and Indigenous involvement in data governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the representation of Sámi cultural heritage in audiovisual archives, specifically focusing on the Sámi Audiovisual Collection research project and the work that has been done to establish a Sámi film and television database, Sápmi on Film and TV (Sápmi på film och TV). It also provides insights into how Indigenous peoples‘ right to self-determination can be implemented by working with archival material alongside Indigenous institutions. The article highlights how historical representations of the Sámi have been shaped by outsiders’ visions, often resulting in objectification and exoticization. By working with new metadata descriptions based on Sámi languages and Sámi knowledge, a remediation of the old film material can be conducted and the archives can serve as important sources of Sámi cultural heritage. Emphasis is placed on the importance of making all material publicly accessible and that it should be accompanied by contextual information and ethical recommendations to address the racist expressions found in some of the content. By making material concerning Indigenous peoples in the national archives available and searchable, by creating new metadata in Indigenous languages, and by creating ethical recommendations regarding the collection, new stories, new knowledge, and new history will be enabled to take shape for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medication for mental health problems represents a significant proportion of overall medication use and the prescription of psychotropic medicine has increased in many western countries over the last decades. Childhood violence (CV) is strongly associated with mental health problems, which in turn may increase the likelihood of being prescribed psychotropic medication. However, the association between CV and prescription of benzodiazepines (BDZ) and antidepressants is rarely described, and no such study has been performed among the Indigenous Sami people. Methods: Data from the SAMINOR 2 Questionnaire Survey (2012) was linked to the Norwegian Prescription Database. Information on filled prescriptions for BDZ and antidepressants in 2004–2019 was collected for 11,296 persons (55.8% women, 22.6% Sami). Gender-stratified chi-square tests and two-sample t-tests were used to test for differences between groups. Logistic regression was applied to investigate the association between CV and filled prescriptions for BDZ and antidepressants. Results: During the 16-year study period, 16.7% of all women filled at least one prescription for BDZ. The figures were significantly lower among Sami women (14.1%) compared to non-Sami women (17.4%) (p =.003). Among all women, 23.6% filled at least one prescription for antidepressants, with no difference between ethnic groups. Filled prescriptions among men were 10.0% and 14.2%, respectively, with no difference between ethnic groups. During each year, and in total, a significantly higher proportion of women exposed to CV received at least one prescription for BDZ and antidepressants, respectively, compared to women not exposed to CV, with no differences between ethnic groups. Among men, the pattern was similar. Conclusion: A lower proportion of Sami women filled prescriptions for BDZ than non-Sami women. Those who reported exposure to CV filled prescriptions for BDZ and antidepressants more often than those who did not report CV. There were no overall differences between Sami and non-Sami; the dispensing rates of antidepressants and BDZ were similar for Sami and non-Sami, and the effects of CV on the dispensing of antidepressants and BDZ were also similar. This study highlights the importance of preventing CV, and of identifying a history of CV when treating adults with mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While equity in health care is the core of the Swedish health system, social inequalities in accessing health care, particularly regarding dental care, exist. There is however no information on how the Sámi population is affected. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for refraining from seeking dental care among the Sámi in Sweden. Methods: A Sámi sample was constructed from three pre-existing registers. Among the 9,249 invitations for individuals aged 18–84 years old, 3,779 answered the survey during February–May 2021. We first calculated frequencies and proportions of the independent variables in terms of socio-economic, socio-demographic, and cultural-related factors as well as the outcome, refraining from dental care. Then, we summarized the magnitude of the association between the independent variables and self-reported refrain from dental care with the prevalence difference (PD) using the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for inferential purposes. Results: Overall, 17.5% of the participants refrained from seeking dental care despite self-reported need in the last three months, with almost the same proportion between men and women. Among the socio-demographic factors, being in the 30–44 years group (PD = 8.0; 95% CI: 3.59, 12.48), in the 45–64 group (PD = 7.3; 95% CI: 2.96, 11.61) and in the 65–84 group (PD = 5.4; 95% CI: 0.92, 9.78) as well as being divorced/widow-er (PD = 6.7; 95% CI: 2.73, 10.70) and unmarried (PD = 3.1; 95% CI: 0.23, 6.04) were statistically significantly associated with refraining from seeking dental care. Among the socio-economic variables, those in the middle-income quintile (PD = 5.3; 95% CI: 1.28, 9.35), in the poor (PD = 8.1; 95% CI: 3.64, 12.51) and poorest (PD = 8.0 95% CI: 3.48, 12.50) quintiles, and especially those experiencing economic stress once (PD = 9.2; 95% CI: 2.93, 15.48) and several times (PD = 26.5; 95% CI: 19.50, 33.43), were strongly associated with refraining. Conclusions: Approximately one in six of the Sámi participating in this study refrained from seeking dental care despite self-reported need in the last three months. Those who experienced economic difficulties were the most affected group. To achieve equity in dental health care in Sweden, policies removing economic barriers to access dental health care should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Medication for mental health problems represents a significant proportion of overall medication use and the prescription of psychotropic medicine has increased in many western countries over the last decades. Childhood violence (CV) is strongly associated with mental health problems, which in turn may increase the likelihood of being prescribed psychotropic medication. However, the association between CV and prescription of benzodiazepines (BDZ) and antidepressants is rarely described, and no such study has been performed among the Indigenous Sami people. Methods Data from the SAMINOR 2 Questionnaire Survey (2012) was linked to the Norwegian Prescription Database. Information on filled prescriptions for BDZ and antidepressants in 2004–2019 was collected for 11,296 persons (55.8% women, 22.6% Sami). Gender-stratified chi-square tests and two-sample t-tests were used to test for differences between groups. Logistic regression was applied to investigate the association between CV and filled prescriptions for BDZ and antidepressants. Results During the 16-year study period, 16.7% of all women filled at least one prescription for BDZ. The figures were significantly lower among Sami women (14.1%) compared to non-Sami women (17.4%) (p = .003). Among all women, 23.6% filled at least one prescription for antidepressants, with no difference between ethnic groups. Filled prescriptions among men were 10.0% and 14.2%, respectively, with no difference between ethnic groups. During each year, and in total, a significantly higher proportion of women exposed to CV received at least one prescription for BDZ and antidepressants, respectively, compared to women not exposed to CV, with no differences between ethnic groups. Among men, the pattern was similar. Conclusion A lower proportion of Sami women filled prescriptions for BDZ than non-Sami women. Those who reported exposure to CV filled prescriptions for BDZ and antidepressants more often than those who did not report CV. There were no overall differences between Sami and non-Sami; the dispensing rates of antidepressants and BDZ were similar for Sami and non-Sami, and the effects of CV on the dispensing of antidepressants and BDZ were also similar. This study highlights the importance of preventing CV, and of identifying a history of CV when treating adults with mental health problems.

Abstract Background While equity in health care is the core of the Swedish health system, social inequalities in accessing health care, particularly regarding dental care, exist. There is however no information on how the Sámi population is affected. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for refraining from seeking dental care among the Sámi in Sweden. Methods A Sámi sample was constructed from three pre-existing registers. Among the 9,249 invitations for individuals aged 18–84 years old, 3,779 answered the survey during February–May 2021. We first calculated frequencies and proportions of the independent variables in terms of socio-economic, socio-demographic, and cultural-related factors as well as the outcome, refraining from dental care. Then, we summarized the magnitude of the association between the independent variables and self-reported refrain from dental care with the prevalence difference (PD) using the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for inferential purposes. Results Overall, 17.5% of the participants refrained from seeking dental care despite self-reported need in the last three months, with almost the same proportion between men and women. Among the socio-demographic factors, being in the 30–44 years group (PD = 8.0; 95% CI: 3.59, 12.48), in the 45–64 group (PD = 7.3; 95% CI: 2.96, 11.61) and in the 65–84 group (PD = 5.4; 95% CI: 0.92, 9.78) as well as being divorced/widow-er (PD = 6.7; 95% CI: 2.73, 10.70) and unmarried (PD = 3.1; 95% CI: 0.23, 6.04) were statistically significantly associated with refraining from seeking dental care. Among the socio-economic variables, those in the middle-income quintile (PD = 5.3; 95% CI: 1.28, 9.35), in the poor (PD = 8.1; 95% CI: 3.64, 12.51) and poorest (PD = 8.0 95% CI: 3.48, 12.50) quintiles, and especially those experiencing economic stress once (PD = 9.2; 95% CI: 2.93, 15.48) and several times (PD = 26.5; 95% CI: 19.50, 33.43), were strongly associated with refraining. Conclusions Approximately one in six of the Sámi participating in this study refrained from seeking dental care despite self-reported need in the last three months. Those who experienced economic difficulties were the most affected group. To achieve equity in dental health care in Sweden, policies removing economic barriers to access dental health care should be implemented.

Introduction. The article considers the discovery of a unique object in the Lovozero tundra – the chapel of the Lyavozersky churchyard on Lake Chesynyavr. Monuments of Orthodox Sami culture in the Murmansk region have rarely been studied by specialists The purpose of the study is to introduce into the research circulation the information about existing documents on the history of the chapel, the results of expeditionary work on its survey, and to continue the discussion about the time of construction and the stages of history. Materials and Methods. The research was based on archival documents and expedition materials. The research is based on the principle of historicism using the comparative historical method. Results and Discussion. The chapel was found in 2002. Expeditions to study it took place in 2016 and 2019. The first documentary report specifically about this monument dates back to 1828. After the change of the site of the winter churchyard of the Semiostrovsky Sami, the chapel was not moved along with the dwellings and remained "in the forest". With the formation of the Lovozersky churchyard, it reappears in official documents, already being called the Chapel of the Nativity. In 1895, it was expanded and renovated. It was abandoned in the 1930s. Conclusions. When analyzing archival documents, it is suggested that the chapel was built in 1681. Its history can be traced back to the 1930s. According to the authors, the thesis of the "dual faith" of the Sami, which has been formed in the regional literature, requires revision. The fact of the existence of an Orthodox chapel in the Lovozersk tundra speaks about the stable Christian worldview of the indigenous population of this part of the Kola Peninsula.

One of the core pathways under the European Green Deal to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 is ensuring a secure, resilient and sustainable supply of the critical raw materials needed for a net zero economy. The emphasis on supply, however, risks overlooking conflicts that critical raw material mining may give rise to, including land disputes, social unrest and displacement of local communities, which, in the case of some Member States, involves indigenous people and perpetuates colonial legacies. These conflicts are polycentric in the sense that they are formally independent of actions under the European Green Deal but still create a complex cause-and-effect relationship that involves a vast number of unrepresented but relevant interests. Mapping these relationships requires addressing colonialism – past and present – as well as the role of indigenous communities in EU law, and the significance of sustainability in supplying resources for the functioning of the internal market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the seventeenth century well into the twentieth violent stories depicting ancient conflicts between the Sámi and their neighbours circulated widely in and around Sápmi. Narratives about battles and raids were produced and consumed for different purposes by diverse narrators and audiences employing various media. This article investigates how these violent narratives became embedded in Swedish and Finnish colonialism in Sápmi between 1600 and 1900. It argues that the stories offered various groups a platform for discussing issues troubling them in their own colonial present. Three themes were of pivotal importance to the storytellers and their audiences: the meaning of colonial conquest, Sámi survivance, and the boundaries separating Sámi from non-Sámi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lisbeth Bergh's nonfiction picturebook En lappefamilie: tekst og bilder fra Nordland (A Lappish family: text and pictures from Nordland) from 1905 is one of the first Norwegian nonfiction picturebooks for children about the life of Sámi. It contains Bergh's own illustrations and text passages in Norwegian, English, and German, which signals that the book addresses a national and international audience. Simultaneously, the book is published in an era characterized by an increasing interest in indigenous tourism, demonstrated through the popularity of world exhibitions and «human zoos». In this article, I explore Bergh's nonfiction picturebook in the light of "human zoos" and "living exhibitions" at the beginning of the 1900s and how her book alludes to the depiction of the Sámi for entertainment and information purposes. My close reading shows how the book reflects the categorization and systematization of the world and of exotic ethnic groups at the time. Furthermore, the reading confirms the book's very distinctive position in Norwegian children's literature history, and how it may have acquired a particular role in the promotion of Norwegian tourism at the beginning of the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effectiveness of reinforcements for flexible pavements is evaluated through an analysis of reflective cracking. Different stiffness and thickness reinforcements are considered for the rehabilitation of an already cracked pavement. The effect of the reinforcement is assessed from two different perspectives: (i) the ability to reduce stresses in the rehabilitated pavement layers, and (ii) the capacity to mitigate the crack propagation from deeper layers. A finite element model (FEM) is adopted to study the stress and strain state of the pavement layers. The pavement model has been properly validated, transitioning from a simply supported beam scheme to an elastic multilayer model. In addition, to represent crack propagation, fracture evolution is analyzed using Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFMs) and Paris' law. The effect of different reinforcements on the pavement is then simulated. The results show that the reinforcement performance is strictly dependent on the interlayer thickness and stiffness. In particular, high stiffness reinforcements (geomembranes) show increasing effectiveness with stiffness, both in terms of reflective cracking and stress reduction. Conversely, low stiffness reinforcements (SAMIs) show a variable trend with the stiffness modulus. In fact, extremely low stiffness is effective in slowing down crack propagation but is detrimental to the wearing course's stress condition. However, as the stiffness increases, the likelihood of cracking in the wearing course decreases, though only a small beneficial effect is registered for crack propagation in the base layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the reception, perception, and implementation of cultural expertise within the court systems of Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. It uses both quantitative and qualitative data collected from 2018 to 2022 for the EURO-EXPERT project and is available on the CULTEXP database. Furthermore, this paper examines the potential of cultural expertise to enhance access to justice, promote fair proceedings, and foster inclusivity and diversity in judicial decision-making. It argues that while the full extent of the benefits of cultural expertise remains undiscovered and requires further examination, a more comprehensive understanding of this can be gained by exploring it in the context of Nordic Legal Pluralism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the gaps in relation to the Sámi people and the colonization of Sápmi (Sámi homeland) in Finnish history textbooks. In the Finnish school system, there is very little knowledge about the Sámi and the colonization of Sápmi. The article uses the concept of the absent curriculum in order to highlight the gaps in history textbooks. The absent curriculum refers to topics and themes that could have, but have not, been included in the curriculum. Using discourse analysis, the article analyzes two different time periods described in textbooks: The 19th and 20th centuries, as well as “prehistory.” The results show that colonialist interventions in Sápmi are not conceptually tied to colonialism in textbooks, even though some textbooks include descriptions of Finnish assimilation acts in Sápmi. With regard to “prehistory,” the textbooks vary in their descriptions of the Sámi: Some textbooks clearly define them as a distinct Indigenous people, whereas others do not mention them at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrinsic and extrinsic sensory elements influence our food experiences. However, most research on extrinsic multisensory aspects of food has centered on WEIRD (White, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) urban participants. This study breaks from this trend by investigating multisensory food experiences in the context of Northern Norway, a region characterized by distinct seasonal shifts, harsh arctic weather, unique atmospheric phenomena (e.g., the midnight sun and northern lights), limited food growth opportunities, and a rich Sámi cultural heritage. Our aim was to unravel the formation and development of multisensory food experiences within a culturally and environmentally specific framework. Our exploratory research used participant observation and interviews, involving four researchers from diverse backgrounds who closely examined multisensory food experiences within four Northern Norwegian food-related tourism businesses, all infused with Sámi cultural elements. Our findings suggest four major themes: (1) Experience elements, involving elements associated with plants, animals, and inanimate objects; (2) Bipolar concepts, which refer to opposing dimensions where experience elements varied, notably in the interplay between Sámi and Norwegian traditions; (3) Sensory stories, which highlight the narratives, enriching the eating experience with context, such as tales of dining under the captivating northern lights; and (4) Values, which indicate guiding principles shaping these experiences on a broader scale, emphasizing support for local traditions and culture. Our main contribution is the presentation of a new contextual framework of multisensory food experiences, which can be applicable to studying food experiences in other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Circumpolar region, comprising the Arctic territories encircling the North Pole, is home to diverse Indigenous cultures facing unique socio-economic challenges. Indigenous communities such as the Inuit, Sámi, Athabaskan, Gwitchin, and Russian Arctic groups exhibit rich traditions and adaptive practices tied to their environments. Environmental diversity, from icy tundra to boreal forests, influences livelihoods and biodiversity, while significant socio-economic disparities persist, impacting access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Against this backdrop, the global COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the intersection of environment, culture, and health in remote Arctic regions, presenting distinct challenges and opportunities. Initiated by a collaborative research project led by Fulbright Arctic Initiative Alumni, this special issue of the International Journal of Circumpolar Health explores the impacts of COVID-19 on Arctic Indigenous and rural communities. Building on previous work and recommendations, the issue features community case studies, highlighting community experiences and collaborative approaches to understand and address the pandemic’s effects. The authors highlight both positive and negative societal outcomes, presenting community-driven models and evidence-based practices to inform pan-Arctic collaboration and decision-making in public health emergencies. Through sharing these insights, the special issue aims to privilege local and Indigenous knowledge systems, elevates community responses to complex and multifaceted challenges, and contributes to the evidence base on global pandemic response.

The Karasjok judgment was pronounced by the Supreme Court of Norway on 31 May 2024. By a narrow majority (6 to 5), the Supreme Court concluded that neither the population of the municipality of Karasjok as a whole, nor the Sámi part of it, have property rights to outlying fields in the municipality, as the landownership belongs to the Finnmark Estate (Finnmarkseiendommen/FeFo). The Supreme Court thus set aside the Finnmark Land Tribunal’s judgment, in which the conclusion was that the population’s property rights were established through immemorial usage. In this paper, I discuss the significance of this Grand Chamber judgment for the upcoming legal survey, including which scenarios can be expected.

Lisbeth Bergh’s nonfiction picturebook En lappefamilie: tekst og bilder fra Nordland (A Lappish family: text and pictures from Nordland) from 1905 is one of the first Norwegian nonfiction picturebooks for children about the life of Sámi. It contains Bergh’s own illustrations and text passages in Norwegian, English, and German, which signals that the book addresses a national and international audience. Simultaneously, the book is published in an era characterized by an increasing interest in indigenous tourism, demonstrated through the popularity of world exhibitions and «human zoos». In this article, I explore Bergh’s nonfiction picturebook in the light of “human zoos” and “living exhibitions” at the beginning of the 1900s and how her book alludes to the depiction of the Sámi for entertainment and information purposes. My close reading shows how the book reflects the categorization and systematization of the world and of exotic ethnic groups at the time. Furthermore, the reading confirms the book’s very distinctive position in Norwegian children’s literature history, and how it may have acquired a particular role in the promotion of Norwegian tourism at the beginning of the 20th century.

Northern Fennoscandia entered Christian Dotremont's (1922–1979) imagination in 1956. The Belgian avant‐gardist was comfortable in Central‐European artistic milieus through his involvement in CoBrA (1948–1951), but a total of 12 journeys to Sápmi between 1956 and 1978 had a profound effect on his creative work, especially the logograms he is best known for. This article studies Dotremont's travel writings and logograms as site‐specific forms of writing, which can be seen as precursors to ecopoetic approaches. Dotremont's journeys took place at a cultural turning point, when ethnographers had made their field trips but mass tourism was still in its embryonic state in Sápmi. His Sápmi‐inspired travel writings reveal how the idealism related to a hyperborean north initially intrigued him while he sought to elude modernity. Dotremont's cultural exchanges in Sápmi were non‐artistic but manifested in his art and writing. Sápmi brought about an ecological awakening through awe that was not sublimated but a lived experience. Dotremont immersed himself in Sápmi, with fundamental repercussions to his creative exploits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circumpolar Indigenous People, such as the Sámi, confront significant challenges stemming from environmental shifts and interrelated issues, profoundly affecting their mental health. Nonetheless, they possess invaluable knowledge and capabilities to navigate and adapt to these transformations. This review aims to investigate peer-reviewed scientific literature, exploring the nexus between environmental changes and mental well-being within the broader Circumpolar Indigenous community, with a special focus on the Sámi People. Conducting a systematic literature review with two arms, one encompassing the broader Circumpolar Indigenous population and the other focusing specifically on the Sámi, followed by thematic analysis, we delved into their experiences of environmental changes, perceptions regarding the intertwining of environmental shifts and mental well-being, and insights into protective factors and resilience-promoting elements. By engaging with Indigenous perspectives, public health initiatives can pinpoint and leverage existing strengths within Indigenous communities and families to bolster their ability to navigate environmental shifts and safeguard mental well-being. However, our review highlighted a lack of scientific investigation of 'strength-based' factors fostering mental resilience among Indigenous populations inhabiting the Circumpolar North, such as the Sámi. Future qualitative research can address this gap, incorporating the viewpoints of individual Circumpolar Indigenous groups to explore both their distinctiveness and interconnectedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the association between experiences of discrimination and mental health among the Sámi population in Sweden. Methods: Cross-sectional study among the self-identified Sámi population living in Sweden in 2021, registered in the electoral roll of the Sámi Parliament, the reindeer mark register and the 'Labour statistics based on administrative sources'. The analysis was based on a final sample of 3658 respondents aged between 18 and 84 years. Adjusted prevalence ratios aPRs for psychological distress (Kessler scale), self-reported anxiety and depression were estimated for four different forms of discrimination (direct experience of discrimination, offended because of ethnicity, historical trauma, and combined discrimination). Results: Higher aPRs of psychological distress, anxiety and depression were observed in women experiencing direct discrimination because of their ethnicity, having been offended because of their ethnicity, and those with a family history of discrimination. Among men, higher aPRs for psychological distress were observed in those experiencing the four different forms of discrimination, but not for anxiety. Depression was only detected in the case of having been offended. Adding experiences of discrimination was associated with a higher prevalence of negative outcomes for all the indicators in women and for psychological distress in men. Conclusions: The observed association between experiences of discrimination and mental health problems would support a gender approach when considering ethnic discrimination in public health policies concerning the Sámi in Sweden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The governance of Indigenous people is in many contexts a combination of political ambitions to promote self-governance, and more traditional policies and governance practices. These combinations often carry unintended contradictions and exclusionary processes. In this article, we investigate the consequences of one such contradiction: the aspiration for self-determination and self-governance on the one hand and the aspiration for broader political influence in decisions about resources to Sámi sport on the other. Since legitimation of governance structures and practices is essential for their overall functionality, we constructed the research question: What strategies are used to legitimise the policy and governance practices of Sámi sport? To explore this research question, we employed Sámi sport in Finland as an empirical case. Results show that authorisation as a legitimation strategy is prominent and used at institutional and individual levels. Moral evaluation as strategy is based on authoritative actors' personal choice. Inclusion and integration in mainstream policy is seen as a rational legitimation strategy, which is supported by narratives where smallness and uniqueness are dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction, decoration, and use of Sámi drums within Sámi culture is examined with reference to the painted drums of two Sámi artists: Peter Armstrand and Elli-Maaret Helander. In their art, bear and sun symbolism, both past and present, are used as resources for constructing Sámi cultural landscapes. The artists' practices are discussed in relation to their perspectives on identity, memory, and the reuse and transmission of cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes and analyses Swedish research on suicide among Sami over the past 25 years. It focuses on how two studies published in 2004 and 2005, which showed that the Sami had no excess mortality in suicide, were subsequently reinterpreted during the 2010s, whereby they came to support researcher-driven knowledge production that showed excess mortality by suicide among the Sami linked to mental illness, colonial oppression and historical trauma. In both research and social debate there was even talk of a “suicide wave” among the Sami, and research projects that referred to “alarming” scientific reports concerning suicide among the Sami were initiated. However, in the early 2020s, new empirically thorough studies showed that the concern was unjustified with respect to mental illness (concerning Sami in general) and reindeer-herding Sami, the subcategory identified as particularly affected by suicide. What had long been perceived as an accepted truth, supported by research, was thus no longer valid. This article argues that the 2010s’ researcher-driven knowledge production about widespread mental illness and high suicide rates among the Sami was partly an expression of the impact of the international ideology of indigenism. One of its ideological cornerstones is victimhood and vulnerability, but also the indigenous collective mobilisation that can emerge from this position. Here influential researchers inserted their results and interpretations into indigenism and the social force it represents. In addition to the ideological influence, there was, at the scientific system level, excessive written knowledge production paired with poorly functioning peer reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World War II was a time of chaos and upheaval across the globe, and Scandinavia was no exception. The war in Scandinavia had a significant impact on the Sámi, the indigenous people of Scandinavia. Sámi lands witnessed warfare, occupation, and destruction throughout the war. Sámi suffered greatly as they were forced from their homelands, forced into armed combat, and came home to lands ravaged by war. Because of accessibility, language barriers, and marginalization, little is written of the Sámi’s plight. Recent literature, has begun to focus on the Sámi during this time, and the present paper builds on their work. I examine these publishings and connect the dots of history through this time of chaos, illustrating that the Sámi suffered immensely and that their culture was permanently altered due to World War II.

The Norwegian primary and secondary school curriculum from 2020 (LK20) clearly states that the history, cultural life, and rights of the indigenous Sámi people should be included in the school practice. This study addresses how objectives in the subject-specific plans with Sámi content are taught and explores, in addition, teachers' experiences and reflections on these topics. To investigate this, an electronic questionnaire with open and closed questions was sent to all primary and secondary schools in the South Saepmie region of Norway. The results indicate that a high degree of the respondents include Sámi culture and tradition in their teaching, and there is a variation in their teaching from happenings on February 6th to interdisciplinary projects. The teachers report a lack of competence and call for a greater emphasis on Sámi topics in the teacher education programs. A lack of available teaching aids is experienced even though many found other resources locally and, e.g., on the internet. They experienced, however, an increase in the availability of teaching aids in recent years. The respondents pointed out, however, that inadequate teacher competence and a lack of teaching aids strongly limited the respondents' possibility to teach Sámi topics in school. Consequently, more teaching aids should be developed, and Sámi content in continuing and teacher education programs should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, fertility performances of 252 Aleppo, 201 Turkish Saanen, 150 Shami and 95 Turkish Saanen*Aleppo genotype goats reared in Kahramanmaraş province were investigated. The effect of breeds on pregnancy rate was found to be insignificant. However, the effect of breeds on number of kids per mating, number of kids per parturition, twinning rate, stillbirth and abortion rate was found to be significant (P<0.05). In Aleppo, Saanen, Shami and Saanen*Aleppo genotype; pregnancy rate 0.92±0.017, 0.90±0.019, 0.93±0.022 and 0.94±0.028; number of kids per mating 1.06±0.033, 0.95±0.036, 0.95±0.042 and 1.18±0.053, number of kids per parturition 1.19±0.024, 1.14±0.028, 1.04±0.032 and 1.29±0.039, twin rates were; 19.28, 14.46, 12.60 and 28.74%, stillbirth and abortion rates was found as 4, 9, 9 and 2% respectively. The data obtained reveals that Aleppo and Saanen*Aleppo hybrid goats have higher reproductive performance and are more advantageous for the regional conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork among the Lulesámi, a subgroup of the indigenous Sámi of northern Fennoscandia, this article explores the relationship between indigenous identity and dress. The gáppte, traditional dress, is a central visual marker of the Sámi, yet on a personal and everyday basis this symbolism enters into dialogue, and sometimes conflict, with people's life experiences, emotions, interests and expectations. Understandings and experiences of the gáppte are placed within a context in which the Sámi community at times is experienced as fragmented and where a history of colonialism and discrimination has left lasting imprints. As shown in the article, narrations of dress unfold how relationships that for long have been marked by oppression and discrimination raise specific forms of awareness as well as questions around what constitutes the self, and how such self can or should be expressed. Through ten different perspectives of the gáppte, the article reveals how different ways of being Sámi become negotiated and materialized through dress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a changing territorial and geopolitical moment of the Arctic region, are the Indigenous Peoples Organizations heard at the regional level and are the Arctic states working to keep them safe and secure? To safeguard the human security of Arctic Indigenous peoples, Arctic states (and their governments) have to understand the needs and changes that are affecting their way of life as well as to be able to cooperate between them. In a comparative study of Canada's and Finland's Arctic policies--Canada's Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (2019) and Finland's Strategy for Arctic Policy (2021)--it is possible to identify the applicability of the human security approach, which is influenced by the truth and reconciliation process between Canada and Inuit and Finland and Sámi. This process is a main factor in having their human rights respected and their human security safeguarded, considering that the relation between the countries of the North and the South of the Arctic countries is a discovery of their diversity (linguistical and cultural) in the 21st century. In my perspective, and for a participative democracy to be applied as mentioned by the green political theory (following the views of scholars like Barry, Eckersley, and Goodin), states and governments need to be open and recognise the gaps identified by those communities and transnational organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field theory as a concept entered scientific discourse in the midnineteenth century. Yet the essential features of a field long predate discoveries about the physical properties and behavior of matter. The paper briefly describes ancient esoteric precursors to scientific field theory, including the Hermetic tradition and archetypal astrology, before turning to twentieth-century sociological field theories and their elemental idea of subjectivity and intersubjectivity. Jungian psychology is a field theory, expanding the limits of sociology in important ways. The paper adopts a somatic archetypal perspective to argue that intersubjectivity, the basis of sociological and psychological field theories, is inadequate. Instead, depth psychologists should embrace intercorporeality, the more embodied, holistic field theory originating in the work of Husserl and Merleau-Ponty. The paper concludes with a discussion of nekyia to illustrate how an intercorporeal field theory can include the underworld in world mythologies. The inverted cosmic geography of one tradition, the Sámi, gives new meaning to numinous encounters with one's ancestors and spirit guides. Such encounters intertwine the subtle energy bodies of the personal and transpersonal worlds, a meeting one can imagine as soul to sole, not just soul to soul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore how aesthetic learning processes may contribute towards enabling change in the outlook on knowledge and learning in higher education. The empirical point of departure is collaborative, auto-ethnographic reflections that were made in relation to a development project on Sámi perspectives in early childhood teacher education at a Norwegian university. The auto-ethnographic vignettes highlight our experiences and learning processes as teachers, and connect these to structural, cultural, and political factors. The analyses imply that aesthetic learning processes, through giving space for the unforeseen and enabling new beginnings, are particularly well-suited to stimulate democratization and decolonization. This potential of enabling change was expressed through the work with emotional engagement, deconstruction of asymmetric power relations, increased self-reflexivity and expansion of the understandings of knowledge and learning. At the same time, the article shed light to obstacles encountered when striving to promote such processes in an academic system entrenched in neoliberalist logics and ideals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic Indigenous Peoples have, through their own persistence, advanced the development of the Western European legal norms in a system that once facilitated their colonisation. The fiftieth anniversary of the Arctic Peoples' Conference took place in 2023. The occasion was marked with another Conference, this time in Ilulissat, Greenland. It was a moment to reflect on the achievements of Arctic Indigenous Peoples, to build upon the 1973 resolutions and to address contemporary challenges. The resultant Joint Statement addresses the need for enhanced engagement in the forums of international law, intergenerational justice, intersecting rights to wellbeing, land, water and natural resources, and to address the risks posed by climate change and colonialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South Sami concept of dåajmijes vuekie is used to discuss a nuanced system of evaluative norms operating in Sami culture, past and present, in relation to objects, behavior, and activities. Where Western aesthetics may focus on surface appearance, dåajmijes vuekie emphasizes effective action in relation to practical needs, social interaction, and ethics. The authors suggest that evaluative norms associated with Sami traditional knowledge and activities can provide valuable insights for understanding not only Sami traditional life but also works of contemporary Sami artists and writers who draw on Sami cultural norms in conscious ways.

This article explores the current situation of outdoor play for children in Sámi Early Childhood Education and Care institutions (ECECs) in Norway. The main objective is to discover how Sámi ECEC practices contribute to outdoor play and learning in early childhood education and community contexts by addressing the following research questions: How do Sámi ECEC staff emphasize outdoor activities and play in their daily practice, and how can these activities be regarded as a way of promoting mental and physical health and well-being? The sample comprises practitioners from seven Sámi ECEC institutions (ECECs) participating in focus-group and individual interviews. The main focus of the interviews was on Sámi ECECs as health-promoting arenas, and outdoor activities appeared to be important in this context. Stepwise-Deductive Induction was used as a qualitative research strategy in the analysis. The staff underline the importance of letting children attempt to be autonomous when it comes to physical and practical activities. They point to the importance of knowing the children and encouraging autonomous achievements. Traditionally, Sámi upbringing places emphasis on doing handicraft and daily work together with the children. The staff describe doing such daily outdoor activities as harvesting, handicraft, and food preparation together with the children as a way of maintaining Sámi culture. The main conclusion is that outdoor activities are important for promoting, experiencing, and contributing to Sámi pedagogy and children’s well-being in the Sámi ECECs.

This article examines twentieth-century northern Swedish geographical isolate studies in Norrbotten Province involving Torne-Finns and northern Sámi, who have historically shared pronatalist Laestadian religious beliefs pathologized by mainstream eugenicists. Deemed a sign of religious fanaticism, Laestadianism was associated with the eugenic stigmatization of Torne-Finns and Sámi people and beliefs were conceptualized as an early sign of schizophrenia. Geneticists, as an outgrowth of early twentieth-century eugenics, structured schizophrenia as a genetic disease caused by first-cousin marriage. These consanguineous marriages that were reported as prevalent in Tornedalian and Sámi reindeer-herding communities practicing Laestadianism, legitimated race-based sterilization of psychitrized Torne-Finn and Sámi women. Similarly, the Swedish State Institute for Race Biology, established in 1922 by Herman Lundborg, advanced reorganizing race along family lines and populations, which supported gendered disability and Sámi genocide. Torne-Finn, as well as Sámi, religious minority women, who were sterilized at first admission to psychiatric facilities, require redress for colonial violence. Current academic and direct-to-consumer admixture research on Finnish and Sámi peoples is recognized as upholding colonial logics of difference in Swedish multicultural policies. This, in turn, results in ongoing gendered genocide. It is concluded that in a radical break from eugenic theories, major psychoses associated with common infections lie in the neglected half of the human genome rather than according to classical genetic rules.

In this paper, the effectiveness of reinforcements for flexible pavements is evaluated through an analysis of reflective cracking. Different stiffness and thickness reinforcements are considered for the rehabilitation of an already cracked pavement. The effect of the reinforcement is assessed from two different perspectives: (i) the ability to reduce stresses in the rehabilitated pavement layers, and (ii) the capacity to mitigate the crack propagation from deeper layers. A finite element model (FEM) is adopted to study the stress and strain state of the pavement layers. The pavement model has been properly validated, transitioning from a simply supported beam scheme to an elastic multilayer model. In addition, to represent crack propagation, fracture evolution is analyzed using Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFMs) and Paris’ law. The effect of different reinforcements on the pavement is then simulated. The results show that the reinforcement performance is strictly dependent on the interlayer thickness and stiffness. In particular, high stiffness reinforcements (geomembranes) show increasing effectiveness with stiffness, both in terms of reflective cracking and stress reduction. Conversely, low stiffness reinforcements (SAMIs) show a variable trend with the stiffness modulus. In fact, extremely low stiffness is effective in slowing down crack propagation but is detrimental to the wearing course’s stress condition. However, as the stiffness increases, the likelihood of cracking in the wearing course decreases, though only a small beneficial effect is registered for crack propagation in the base layer.

Our aim is to investigate how Sámi early childhood education and care institutions (ECECs) contextualise their work to support psychosocial well-being among children aged 4–6. We have conducted seven qualitative interviews among ECEC educators. Using Stepwise Deductive Induction (SDI) analysis we found that Sámi ECECs contextualise their work to support psychosocial well-being among children by constantly balancing between dealing with the possible consequences of Norwegianisation and the assimilation process from the past and highlighting Sámi culture in a positive way. In practice the staff try to support the children’s positive sense of self, recognition and feeling a sense of belonging to the Sámi culture. They also strive to contextualise Sámi practices in terms of today’s society and adjust to the present group of staff, children, and parents to ensure the children’s well-being.

This article examines the gaps in relation to the Sámi people and the colonization of Sápmi (Sámi homeland) in Finnish history textbooks. In the Finnish school system, there is very little knowledge about the Sámi and the colonization of Sápmi. The article uses the concept of the absent curriculum in order to highlight the gaps in history textbooks. The absent curriculum refers to topics and themes that could have, but have not, been included in the curriculum. Using discourse analysis, the article analyses two different time periods described in textbooks: the 19th and 20th centuries as well as prehistory. The results show that colonialist interventions in Sápmi are not conceptually tied to colonialism in the textbooks, even though some textbooks include descriptions of Finnish assimilationist acts in Sápmi. As regards to prehistory, the textbooks vary in their descriptions of the Sámi: some textbooks clearly define them as a distinct indigenous people, whereas others do not mention them at all. Finally, this article proposes some improvements that could enhance the inclusion of Sámi and colonization of Sápmi in history textbooks.

Book review of "The Indigenous Identity of the South Saami: Historical and Political Perspectives on a Minority within a Minority"