Arctic Social Indicators : measuring change in human development in the Artic

• Main Author: Olga Sif Guðmundsdóttir
• Other Authors: Háskólinn á Akureyri
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Norðurskautsráð; Félagsfræði; Mannfræði; Þróun; Frumbyggjar; Rannsóknir; Norðlægar slóðir; Samfélags- og hagþróunarfræði; Arctic; Arctic Council
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/781

The Arctic Social Indicators (ASI) project, an endorsed project of the Arctic Council, is aimed at devising a small set of indicators that reflect key aspects of human development in the Arctic. The indicators must be manageable in terms of measurement and affordable in regard to labor and material resources as the objective is to use them in monitoring change in human development in the region over time. As to insure that the devised indicators are good representatives, the project also seeks to “test” them with existing data and in discussion with representatives from various communities of the Arctic. The ASI and its working process is the focus of this thesis, where the methods of literature research, participant-observation and interviews, were used. The author attended the first ASI workshop, as well as a meeting of the Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) of the Arctic Council under which the ASI is being developed. The ASI was discussed with representatives of indigenous organizations as to hear their opinions on the ASI process as well as on how indigenous peoples should be included. An achievement of the first ASI workshop was a selection of six domains for which indicators needed to be selected. Further achievements were a selection of criteria for use in finding the best suited indicators as well as a selection of preliminary indicators for three of the six domains. Discussions at the SDWG meeting regarding the ASI were positive as well as indigenous respondents were positive towards the ASI domains. Regarding the consultation process, suggestions were on using the Indigenous Peoples Secretariat of the Arctic Council, as well as a suggestion was on the ASI members going to the basic community to talk to the locals.