– Our research still connects to sustainable development, but the new name identifies our research focus better, tells research professor Monica Tennberg who is the leader of the research group.

Political economy is the study of connections between power, wealth and well-being. The research is social-science based and focus especially on everyday life in the European Arctic region. Current climatic, environmental and socio-economic changes in the Arctic and related consequences for peoples, communities and livelihoods in the region as well as ways to mitigate and adapt to these changes make political economy an important, topical perspective for research. As a whole, the research group is engaged in research that critically investigates social and political dimensions of development in the Arctic.

– Current research topics include e.g. Arctic energy and climate politics, corporate social responsibility in the Barents region, knowledge produced in and on the region, and participation in megaprojects, says Monica Tennberg.

The research group is currently finalizing a book for Routledge on social and cultural sustainability in the Arctic. The research group works as a collaborative network of researchers working in the Arctic Centre and in different faculties of the University of Lapland and University of Eastern Finland.

More information:

Websites of the research group: https://www.arcticcentre.org/EN/research/northern-political-economy
Northern political economy blog: https://www.arcticcentre.org/EN/research/northern-political-economy/Blog

Research professor Monica Tennberg
040 019 2005, monica.tennberg(at)ulapland.fi