The Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland will take part in a multidisciplinary research consortium The WAGE Circumpolar Partnership – Arctic Economy and Social Transitions which has been awarded a major grant of $2.5 million by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The project is led by Professor Gérard Duhaime from Université Laval and has a total funding of 3.5 million euros.

The ambitious research project focuses on economic and
social inequalities in the Arctic and circumpolar North and responds to calls at the
Arctic Council for states to address inequalities affecting Indigenous Peoples in
particular and to initiate a fundamental transformation in the distribution of
wealth produced in the Arctic. 

From the Arctic Centre
research professor Florian Stammler and university researcher Tanja Joona are
involved in the project.

– The project differs from the usual
research project model. Funding for own work packages must be applied for within the
project by the end of the year. It has been tentatively agreed to hire two post-doc
researchers at the University of Lapland, says Tanja Joona.

The
partnership unites 22 partner institutions (including post-secondary education
organizations, research centers, indigenous, governmental, and non-profit
organizations) as well as 36 members (24 co-researchers; 12 collaborators),
including representatives of the populations concerned by the issues raised by the
project. 

The project is divided into five parts,
executive committee and steering group focusing on administration. The other three
parts are the research, internship, and communication commissions, of which Stammler
is a member of research commission that reviews all the applications for research
work and Joona has been asked to chair the communication commission.

– I look forward to the implementation of this project, as it is a genuine
circumpolar large-scale international project involving top researchers and a new
kind of approach. A strong network and committed researchers will surely create a
successful project, says Joona who will together with the project coordinator
Marileine Baribeau prepare practical steps for the implementation of the
project.

The project will run for 5 years, from 2021 to
2026.

More
information:

Tanja Joona
University
researcher
Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
+358 40 4844
283, tanja.joona(at)ulapland.fi 

Florian
Stammler
Research professor
Arctic Centre, University of
Lapland
+358 400 138 807, florian.stammler(at)ulapland.fi