How to govern change in the Arctic? Are transformations governable?

”Arctic change” is a popular way to frame current
developments and to discuss the future of the region as a complex set of
interconnected environmental, social and economic changes taking place in the region
and leading to its fundamental transformation. Different forms of governance to
guide and govern these changes is yet another topical but a complex set of issues
connecting different levels of societal actors, forms of action, and concerns, such
as sustainability and equity. Also, the question remains whether these
transformations are in anyway governable, and what are the possible unintended and
unwanted effects of any efforts of governance. Consequently, it becomes evident that
governance in Arctic regions goes far beyond the schemes of regional authorities and
the policies of few supranational bodies (e.g. Arctic Council). This topical
diversity will be addressed at the symposium. 

In recent
years, social science-based research has produced a myriad of concepts, approaches
and methodologies to understand societal transformations and their governability,
such as collaborative governance, interactive governance, metagovernance,
governmentality and global governance, to name just a few. In order to understand
better (un)governability of Arctic change, we invite critically oriented
presentations to the Northern Political Economy Symposium 2021 to discuss governance
of Arctic transformations as well as examples of empirical research into different
processes of societal transformations and their governability. 

The event is one of the activities of the UArctic thematic network
“Critical Arctic Studies” (CAS). The keynote speaker will be announced in the second
call for papers (to be published mid-August). Doctoral candidates should consult
their supervisors about receiving credits for presenting and participating in the
event.  

Instructions for
submission of papers:

 The deadline for abstracts is
24.9.2021. 

The abstract should include 200-300 words
with the name(s) of the presenter(s), affiliation(s) and contact information for the
presenter(s). 

Abstracts should be sent to Monica
Tennberg, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
monica.tennberg(at)ulapland.fi

The accepted abstracts and
symposium program will be announced by 1.10.2021. 

More information:

Symposium organizer, research professor Monica Tennberg
Northern
political economy research group, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
monica.tennberg(at)ulapland.fi

#NPEsymposium