Vuojala-Magga, Terhi (f. Kurttila)
Researcher in Anthropology
Anthropology Research Team
GSM: +358 (0)40 4844219
E-mail: terhi.vuojala-magga(at)ulapland.fi
Research interests: anthropology of landscape, radical empirism, theories connected to ecology of live and evolution, long-term perception of natural change among reindeer herders
Submitting her Ph.D thesis (autumn 2008) at the University of Oulu. Title: From information to knowledege – perception, learning and skills among the Sàmi reindeer herders in Inari.
The case study focuses the knowledege of weather and climate in the past 100 yrs. She is specialised in the practical skills of reindeer herders and the Sámi knowledege system of their Northern environment. Theoretical intrerests are in the epistemology of northern knowledge systems and learning practices, e.g. theories of T. Ingold, T. Järvilehto, S. Oyama and A. N. Leontjev. Methodological interests lie at the heart of radical empiricism (M.Jackson, P.Stroller). Practically this meant that she was out of academia for 7 years learning to practice nature based livelihoods. She has done fieldwork in various places in Finnish Lapland (Sápmi), Oulu region and West-Siberia (Ob river). She lives as she writes, so her hobbies are parts of the livelihood, too – reindeer work and fishing are part of her everyday life in the Inari region.
Current projects
- Reindeer Forage and Supplementary Feeding in a Changing Climate / Poron ravinto ja lisäruokinta muuttuvassa ilmastossa
- Community adaptation and vulnerability in Arctic regions (Fin-Caviar). In this research project the focus lies on the the Ivalo river flood in 2005.
- The ecological and socioeconomical responses of global change on reindeer pastures (ECOREIN), the main object is to define the diffrent reindeer pasture rotation systems in five diffrent reindeer herding regions together with biologists. She is also starting a multidisiplinary project with biologists and local reindeer herders of Hammastunturi reindeer herding district (The Board of Forestry and Agriculture).
Selected writings
- Vuojala-Magga, T.( 2010): Knowing, training, learning: the
importance of reindeer character and temperament for individuals and
communities of humans and animals. In Good to Eat, Good to Live with:
Animals and Nomads in Northern Eurasia and Africa. Eds. F.Stammler, H.
Takaura Northeast Asian Studies SerieX. Sondai: Centre for Northeast
Asian Studies. Pp.43-61
- Vuojala-Magga, T., Tennberg M. Turunen M. 2010: Practical skills
and tacit knowledge of Sámi Reindeer herders in the context of extreme
weather events. AMS 90th Annual Meeting, Atlanta. e-presentation. In
ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/16555.pdf
- Tennberg M., Vuojala-Magga, T., Turunen 2010: “Ivalo River and
its people: There have always been floods - what is the difference now?”
Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in the Arctic Regions. Eds.
B.Smit and G.Hovelstrud. Heidelberg :Springer
- Vuojala-Magga Terhi (2010): Knowing,
training, learning: The importance of reindeer character and
temperament for individuals and communities of humans and animals. In Good to Eat, Good to Live with: Nomads and Animals in Northern Eurasia and Africa,
edited by Florian Stammler & Hiroki Takakura. Internationally
peer-reviewed publication, Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku
University, Sendai, Japan (Northeast Asian study series, 11)
- Vuojala-Magga, T. (2009): Simple things but complicated skills.
Sami skills and tacit knowledege in the context of climatic
changeIn.Mattut Maddagat. Ed. Tiina Äikäs. The Roots of Saami
Ethnicities, Societies and Spacies/Places.. Sastamala:Vammalan
Kirjapaino Oy. Pp. 164-173.
- Vuojala-Magga (forthcoming). The Northern road of fear, hate and love - encounters of Finns and Sámi.
- Vuojala-Magga Terhi (et.al) (2002): Arctic feedbacks to global warming.
In Käyhkö J. Talve L. (eds). Understanding the Global System. Finnish
Perspective. Finnish Global Change Reserach Programme Figare: pp107-118
Vuojala-Magga (forthcoming). The anthropolocial bottle message from
Inari/Ánar Lapland: “Can you see, we as as many men as minds!”
- Kurttila Terhi, Ingold Tim (2000): Perceiving the Environment in Finnish Lapland. Body and Society. Vol &(3-4): 183-196. Sage Publications
- Kurttila Terhi, Lee Susan E., Press Malcolm C., Lee John A., Ingold Tim
(2000): Regional effects of climtic change on reindeer: A case sudy of
Muotktunturi region In Finnish Lapland. Polar Reserach 19(1): 99-105.
- Kurttila Terhi (1993-95). Various articles about co-operation between
Khanty reindeerherding and Sami reindeerherding techniques in Finnish
and Sámi (Reindeerherder Association Journal, Poromies 4/93, 2/95, 3/95) (Sápmelas 8-9/93 6-7/95)
Selected CV
- Kindergaden Teachers Degree (1984)
- MA in Anthropology (1993)
- Studies in Cultural Geography (1991-1993)
Academic Employment:
- Lecturer Oulu University 1990-1993
- Temporary Lecurer Oulu University 1993, 1994, 1996
- Temporary Lecurer Univeristy of Lapland 1993, 1995
- Lecture of Sami Collage 1993, 195-1996, 1997, 1999-2000
- Research Associate, Dep. of Social Anthropology Univ.of Manchester 1994-1997
- Resercher Oulu Tourism Ltd. 1999
- Eu Project Manager
- Dep. of Education, Sodankylä 1998-1999
- Head of the Research Project In North-West Siberia 1992-1995