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.

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

Shovelling snow – a duty or a way to show off?
26.3.2021 9:00
To shovel snow is an unavoidable activity for those living in the Arctic. But is it fun? A nuisance? A health risk? It is all that and much more!
New NPE-team member Auni Haapala introduces her research on extractivism and Arctic cities
3.2.2021 13:18
The newest member of our NPE team, doctoral candidate Auni Haapala, is conducting her studies in the Unit of Gender Studies at the University of Lapland. Her multidisciplinary doctoral project focuses on the role of Arctic cities in the ‘makings of global extractivism’.
A Nightmare before Christmas – A Tale on Ignorance and Inequality
15.12.2020 9:28
And it happened in those days, in a land up, high up in the North, not so long ago, that the Three Wise Women took a long journey to follow a frozen star, to seek their way to Him, to sit next to His throne.

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).