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northern political economy

Northern political economy

We study the connections between power, wealth and well-being. Our common interest is to investigate the politics entailed in different conceptions of Arctic development. While our research focus is the Arctic and its socioeconomic, environmental, political and legal developments, we view these as interlinked with global processes.

Critical Arctic Studies – University of Arctic Thematic Network.

Our research

Our recent book with contributions from the research group members “Resources, social and cultural sustainabilities in the Arctic" (M. Tennberg, H. Lempinen & S. Pirnes, eds., Routledge 2020) presents well our diverse research. Also, recent publications by our research group members include Hanna Lempinen’s book “Arctic energy and social sustainability” (Palgrave 2018) and a book by Marjo Lindroth and Heidi Sinevaara-Niskanen “Global politics and its violent care of indigeneity: Sequels to colonialism” (Palgrave 2018).

The research group

The research group is organized as a collaborative network of researchers working in the Arctic Centre, different faculties of the University of Lapland and other universities representing different fields of expertise and stages in research careers.

The group is led by Research Professor Monica Tennberg.

Northern Political Economy Blog

  • NPE Internships – A Decade Later

    7.10.2021 15:12

    NPE researchers Adrian Braun and Joonas Vola share a few insights and memories about their research paths that started a decade ago with internships in September 2011. Both did not foresee which enormous impacts an internship at Arctic Centre would have for their professional careers and consequently also for their lives.

  • New NPE-team member Salla Kalliojärvi introduces her research on climate change and global security governance

    3.6.2021 9:04

    Salla Kalliojärvi is a PhD Candidate at the university of Lapland and the newest member of our NPE team. In her doctoral thesis she looks how the increasing significance of multinational corporations in global climate governance is impacting on the governance structures and technologies of security

  • Congratulations and welcome junior researchers Auni, Heidi and Salla!

    29.4.2021 13:06

    University of Lapland has recently selected new junior researchers to conduct their PhD studies in the doctoral programme The Arctic in a Changing World. Northern Political Economy research team is thrilled to share the news of three new group members that have received funding for their research.

Examples of latest publications
Interviews and talks

Mistä on arktiset kaupungit tehty? Monica Tennberg esitteli Arctic Caféssa (29.11. 2018) millaisia materiaaleja, taitoja, käytäntöjä ja merkityksiä arktiseen kaupunkitilaan liitetään.

Heidi Sinevaara-Niskasen ja Marjo Lindrothin haastattelu Yle Areenassa: Alkuperäiskansat ja toivon valta - miten lupauksista paremmasta ja toivosta on tullut vallankäytön välineitä suhteessa alkuperäiskansoihin. Information in English on the project Indigeneity in Waiting: Elusive Rights and the Power of Hope is available here.

Monica Tennberg: What kind of knowledge for climate change adaptation?
Ecological webinars, Arctic Summer Collage 15.8. 2018

Monica Tennberg was one of the panellist at the session "The global implications of a rapidly-changing Arctic" hosted by the Arctic Council at COP23 in Bonn November 2017.


In the video series One minute, one researcher Joonas Vola talks about how the Arctic Region is a political concept (in Finnish).

Researching the spiritual heritage: researcher Francis Joy tells about the pursuit of the traditional religion of the Sámi (in Finnish).