BCS 100 Module 4: Peoples and Cultures of the Circumpolar North

• Main Authors: Tuisku, Tuula, Osgood, Kathleen
• Format: Course Material
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Arctic; taiga; Tundra
• Online Access: http://library.vlt.is/42/; http://library.vlt.is/42/1/BCS_100_Mod_4__Revised_2011.pdf

Peoples and Cultures of the Circumpolar North surveys people in the North, including minorities and settlers. Using a variety of criteria, this module describes the peoples of the North, making clear distinctions between settlement patterns, migration and assimilation of different ethnic groups. After an introduction to the peopling of the Arctic, we explore traditional subsistence economies of the taiga, tundra, and coast, and other adaptations to ecological and historical change. The module also discusses non-indigenous peoples, how they came to settle in such northern territories, and the emergence of market economies that coexist with traditional ways of life. Finally, we look at demographics and culture, and the role of urban centers in the North. There is a section at the end of the module for guided research into northern peoples and cultures today.