Climate change, oil and gas development, and Inupiat whaling in northwest Alaska
Relationships between human beings and whales vary temporally and spatially. The Inupiat in northwest Alaska have historically formed a social relationship with bowhead whales, which they hunt for their subsistence. Whaling still occupies a core position in the lives of the majority of the coastal I...
| Published in: | Études/Inuit/Studies |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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Association Inuksiutiit Katimajiit Inc.
2010
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/045406ar https://doi.org/10.7202/045406ar |
| Summary: | Relationships between human beings and whales vary temporally and spatially. The Inupiat in northwest Alaska have historically formed a social relationship with bowhead whales, which they hunt for their subsistence. Whaling still occupies a core position in the lives of the majority of the coastal Inupiat and is related to their other activities although their culture has diversified and changed. Using actor-network theory from a political economy perspective, this paper describes several interrelated internal and external factors (actors) that threaten the continuation of whaling. The author concludes that whaling is directly linked to the cultural security of the Inupiat. Les relations entre les êtres humains et les baleines varient temporellement et spatialement. Les Inupiat du nord-ouest de l’Alaska ont créé historiquement un lien social avec les baleines franches qu’ils chassent pour leur subsistance. La chasse à la baleine est encore au coeur de la vie de la majorité des Inupiat côtiers et elle est liée à leurs autres activités même si leur culture s’est diversifiée et a changé. Par le biais d’une perspective politico-économique de la théorie de l’acteur-réseau, cet article décrit plusieurs facteurs (acteurs) internes et externes interreliés qui menacent le maintien de la chasse à la baleine. L’auteur conclut que la question de la chasse est directement liée à la sécurité culturelle des Inupiat. |
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