Critical Arctic Studies Symposium 2025

CAS-Symposium

Critical Arctic Studies Symposium, 7. - 9. October 2025, Rovaniemi, Finland

Caring for Life in the Arctic

During the past decade, a variety of policies, strategies, and concepts have been developed to safeguard life on Earth. Among these, sustainability transformations aim to promote the well-being of communities within planetary limits; green transitions advocate for fossil-free futures; and nature transitions focus on halting biodiversity loss. A key difference between these approaches lies in their conception of care — specifically, how human flourishing is inherently linked to the well-being of all living beings, whether on land, in the oceans, or in the air. We also witness polarization around the very idea of care for life itself. While research in natural and social science is advancing our understanding of complex human-nature entanglements, political movements that seek to erase pluralistic approaches and worldviews are gaining traction worldwide.

Politics and economies of care in the Arctic

The Critical Arctic Studies Symposium 2025 brings together experts to discuss politics and economies of care, specifically focusing on life in the Arctic region. Care for the Arctic takes different forms, is a cross-disciplinary concern, institutionalized in various ways, and involves multi-scalar political and economic action. Care can be perceived in the spirit of Matters of Care by Maria Puig Bellacasa as everything that is “done to maintain, continue, and repair ‘the world’ so that all can live in it as well as possible”. Care can also be disruptive, violent, and conflictive as the interests of different actors often clash across space and time. What appears to be a caring project in one place may result in the opposite for (non)human life elsewhere. One can also ask how much it is possible to care for (distant) other (non)humans. Moreover, care can be strenuous and exhausting for those who care and those who are cared for.

The symposium is arranged in a hybrid mode. There is no participation fee.

Call for papers

We invite conceptual and empirical papers from various disciplines and fields that discuss issues of caring for life in an Arctic context. Please email your abstract to Dorothee Bohn (Dorothee. bohn@ulapland.fi) by 15.6.2025. The abstract should be 250-300 words and include a title, your name, affiliation, and contact information.

Important dates

The first call for abstracts will be published on 15.4.2025
The second call for abstracts will be published on 15.5.2025
Deadline for abstract submission 15.6.2025
Information about accepted abstracts 21.6.2025
Program ready 15.8.2025

Organizing team:

Research professor Monica Tennberg, University researcher Marjo Lindroth, Post-doc researcher Dorothee Bohn, and Doctoral candidate Tom Royer, Critical Arctic Studies research team, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland.

The event is part of activities of the UArctic CAS thematic network (more information: criticalarcticstudies.com). The aim of the UArctic thematic network on Critical Arctic Studies is to challenge mainstream, simplified, and stereotypical understandings of the Arctic; question the basis of the current depictions of the region and its development; engage more standpoints and voices for diverse reflective assessments of policies; and elevate the importance of the area and its future on the global scale.