Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut
ABSTRACT This paper simultaneously analyses some objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut (federal territory of Canada located in the Arctic) in 2001: population, housing, language, education, economic activities, health, social problems and geographic mobility. It examines original des...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409990131 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247409990131 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0032247409990131 2024-04-28T08:08:42+00:00 Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut Morin, Alexandre Edouard, Roberson Duhaime, Gérard 2009 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409990131 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247409990131 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Polar Record volume 46, issue 2, page 97-112 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development journal-article 2009 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409990131 2024-04-02T06:55:13Z ABSTRACT This paper simultaneously analyses some objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut (federal territory of Canada located in the Arctic) in 2001: population, housing, language, education, economic activities, health, social problems and geographic mobility. It examines original descriptive statistics from the Survey of living conditions in the Arctic and other sources. In some cases the results confirm the ordinary depressing picture of Inuit conditions, but in other cases statistics qualify or even contradict such a picture. The overall findings show that despite objective difficult conditions, Nunavummiut living in Nunavut (primarily the elites and the lower class) are generally satisfied with their communities so that the majority wishes to remain there. Certain modern social institutions and individual rationalities are contributing to this situation: wage earning, market economy, utilitarian and consumption oriented approach, democratic state based on law, formal knowledge, individualism and the capacity for self analysis. The concepts of aspiration and mastery of one's own destiny seem accurate to explain the importance of education and employment in people's satisfaction, and their dissatisfaction about the housing situation. The existence of family and neighbourhood networks appears to explain both a certain residential stability and out migration, through the social support functions of these networks, in which sharing and exchanging food play a major role. In general, if most of Nunavummiut continue to live in the Arctic despite unfavourable conditions, it is not only because they are able to ensure their material existence there, but also because they attach a meaning to and believe that that is where they have the best chance to exert the highest degree of control over their personal and domestic reality. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic inuit Nunavut Polar Record Cambridge University Press Polar Record 46 2 97 112 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
spellingShingle |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development Morin, Alexandre Edouard, Roberson Duhaime, Gérard Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut |
topic_facet |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
description |
ABSTRACT This paper simultaneously analyses some objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut (federal territory of Canada located in the Arctic) in 2001: population, housing, language, education, economic activities, health, social problems and geographic mobility. It examines original descriptive statistics from the Survey of living conditions in the Arctic and other sources. In some cases the results confirm the ordinary depressing picture of Inuit conditions, but in other cases statistics qualify or even contradict such a picture. The overall findings show that despite objective difficult conditions, Nunavummiut living in Nunavut (primarily the elites and the lower class) are generally satisfied with their communities so that the majority wishes to remain there. Certain modern social institutions and individual rationalities are contributing to this situation: wage earning, market economy, utilitarian and consumption oriented approach, democratic state based on law, formal knowledge, individualism and the capacity for self analysis. The concepts of aspiration and mastery of one's own destiny seem accurate to explain the importance of education and employment in people's satisfaction, and their dissatisfaction about the housing situation. The existence of family and neighbourhood networks appears to explain both a certain residential stability and out migration, through the social support functions of these networks, in which sharing and exchanging food play a major role. In general, if most of Nunavummiut continue to live in the Arctic despite unfavourable conditions, it is not only because they are able to ensure their material existence there, but also because they attach a meaning to and believe that that is where they have the best chance to exert the highest degree of control over their personal and domestic reality. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Morin, Alexandre Edouard, Roberson Duhaime, Gérard |
author_facet |
Morin, Alexandre Edouard, Roberson Duhaime, Gérard |
author_sort |
Morin, Alexandre |
title |
Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut |
title_short |
Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut |
title_full |
Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut |
title_fullStr |
Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut |
title_full_unstemmed |
Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut |
title_sort |
beyond the harsh. objective and subjective living conditions in nunavut |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409990131 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247409990131 |
genre |
Arctic inuit Nunavut Polar Record |
genre_facet |
Arctic inuit Nunavut Polar Record |
op_source |
Polar Record volume 46, issue 2, page 97-112 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409990131 |
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Polar Record |
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46 |
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2 |
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97 |
op_container_end_page |
112 |
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