Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study
Using a participatory research approach, we assess the knowledge systems and political ontology of reindeer husbandry. The study was conducted by a mixed team of scientists and Sámi reindeer herders who practiced reindeer husbandry in West Finnmark, northern Norway, both prior to and during the stat...
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ftjecolog:oai:.www.ecologyandsociety.org:article/9786 2023-05-15T16:13:44+02:00 Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study Johnsen, Kathrine I 2017-12-04 text/html application/pdf http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol22/iss4/art33/ en eng Resilience Alliance Ecology and Society; Vol. 22, No. 4 (2017) knowledge; participatory research; political ontology; reindeer husbandry; Sámi; scenarios Peer-Reviewed Reports 2017 ftjecolog 2019-04-09T11:23:23Z Using a participatory research approach, we assess the knowledge systems and political ontology of reindeer husbandry. The study was conducted by a mixed team of scientists and Sámi reindeer herders who practiced reindeer husbandry in West Finnmark, northern Norway, both prior to and during the state-led “rationalization” of Sámi reindeer husbandry since the late 1970s. The analysis is based on the participants’ reindeer herding knowledge and their assessment of the governance of Sámi pastoralism. Two future narratives (scenarios) were used to stimulate reflection and discussion. Based on these discussions and by studying secondary sources, we examined how herders and government officials explained what reindeer husbandry is and ought to be and their conceptions about “proper” management of reindeer, herders, and the land on which reindeer pastoralism depends. We find that the state governance of reindeer husbandry since the end of the 1970s promoted, through a combination of economic incentives and sanctions, herding practices primarily based on Western knowledge and way of understanding the world. This knowledge system and the management techniques it promotes was, and still is, in conflict with and undermines reindeer herding knowledge and worldviews. However, despite 40 years of policies attempting to transform reindeer husbandry according to the state’s perception of proper pastoralism, a Sámi worldview continues to influence the herders’ understanding of the relationship between humans, reindeer, and nature and how this relationship should be governed. Nonetheless, the conflicting, asymmetrical knowledge systems and competing worldviews of what reindeer husbandry is and ought to be compromise the identity and rights of the pastoralists. Other/Unknown Material Finnmark Northern Norway reindeer husbandry Finnmark Unknown Norway |
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English |
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knowledge; participatory research; political ontology; reindeer husbandry; Sámi; scenarios |
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knowledge; participatory research; political ontology; reindeer husbandry; Sámi; scenarios Johnsen, Kathrine I Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study |
topic_facet |
knowledge; participatory research; political ontology; reindeer husbandry; Sámi; scenarios |
description |
Using a participatory research approach, we assess the knowledge systems and political ontology of reindeer husbandry. The study was conducted by a mixed team of scientists and Sámi reindeer herders who practiced reindeer husbandry in West Finnmark, northern Norway, both prior to and during the state-led “rationalization” of Sámi reindeer husbandry since the late 1970s. The analysis is based on the participants’ reindeer herding knowledge and their assessment of the governance of Sámi pastoralism. Two future narratives (scenarios) were used to stimulate reflection and discussion. Based on these discussions and by studying secondary sources, we examined how herders and government officials explained what reindeer husbandry is and ought to be and their conceptions about “proper” management of reindeer, herders, and the land on which reindeer pastoralism depends. We find that the state governance of reindeer husbandry since the end of the 1970s promoted, through a combination of economic incentives and sanctions, herding practices primarily based on Western knowledge and way of understanding the world. This knowledge system and the management techniques it promotes was, and still is, in conflict with and undermines reindeer herding knowledge and worldviews. However, despite 40 years of policies attempting to transform reindeer husbandry according to the state’s perception of proper pastoralism, a Sámi worldview continues to influence the herders’ understanding of the relationship between humans, reindeer, and nature and how this relationship should be governed. Nonetheless, the conflicting, asymmetrical knowledge systems and competing worldviews of what reindeer husbandry is and ought to be compromise the identity and rights of the pastoralists. |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Johnsen, Kathrine I |
author_facet |
Johnsen, Kathrine I |
author_sort |
Johnsen, Kathrine I |
title |
Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study |
title_short |
Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study |
title_full |
Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study |
title_fullStr |
Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sámi reindeer governance in Norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study |
title_sort |
sámi reindeer governance in norway as competing knowledge systems: a participatory study |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol22/iss4/art33/ |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
Finnmark Northern Norway reindeer husbandry Finnmark |
genre_facet |
Finnmark Northern Norway reindeer husbandry Finnmark |
op_source |
Ecology and Society; Vol. 22, No. 4 (2017) |
_version_ |
1765999565241057280 |