Northern Political Economy

Northern political economy

Political economy is the study of connections between power, wealth and well-being. 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 social-science based research. The research focus is spatially situated, “Northern”, that is emerging from everyday life in the European Arctic, but interacting with socioeconomic, environmental and political developments outside the region. As a whole, the research group is engaged in research that critically investigates social and political dimensions of development in the Arctic.

Our research

Recent publications by the 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 is currently finalizing a book this year on social and cultural sustainabilities in the Arctic for Routledge. The book represents well topics that the group explores including political dimensions of indigenous identities, energy and climate politics, urbanism, and knowledge produced in and on the region. The group also pursues research about local perspectives on EU programs and regional policies in the Arctic, Russia’s arctic politics, corporate social responsibility in the Barents region, and about participation in megaprojects.

The research group

The research group is organized 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. The group is led by research professor Monica Tennberg, and the members are: associate professor Tanja Joona (Faculty of Law, University of Lapland), post-doc researcher Hannah Strauss-Mazzullo, post-doc researcher Marjo Lindroth, post-doc researcher Heidi Sinevaara-Niskanen (Faculty of Education, University of Lapland ), university lecturer Hanna Lempinen (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lapland), junior researcher Joonas Vola (Doctoral program for culture-based service design, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lapland), doctoral candidate Adrian Braun (University of Eastern Finland), doctoral candidate Paula Tulppo, and doctoral candidate Susanna Pirnes.

Northern Political Economy Blog

How to stay sane during maternity leave
9.10.2019 12:51
Work and family are notoriously difficult to combine in the academic world, especially for female researchers. In this blog post, NPE team’s Visiting Researcher Hanna Lempinen shares her experience of spending six months at home with a surprise baby.
The Land of a Thousand Myths – Forest
27.5.2019 13:53
What kind of political economy is hidden in the woods? Do we rely our future on myths, and on what cost? Can a box of matches give light and clearing to these questions? To find out, click and roll down.
Becoming an entrepreneur in Finland
15.4.2019 9:16
NPE researcher Adrian Braun writes about the initial steps of becoming an entrepreneur in Finland, how to get support and what is important in the early phases of developing a business.

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).