Human Dimensions of Arctic Change
Arctic human systems are undergoing unprecedented change. Against a backdrop of climate change, globalization and technological advances are positioning the Arctic as a site of resource wealth, international shipping, and political contestation. President Obama’s recent trip to Alaska highlighted at once the changing environment of the Arctic, symbolized by melting sea and glacier ice, and the drive to develop Arctic resources epitomized recently by Shell’s Arctic offshore oil campaign. Though climate warming and resource extraction are already leaving their imprint on the Arctic, it is not yet clear how northern communities will respond to these interlinked forces.
In this session, we seek to improve understanding of human responses to environmental and economic change in the Arctic. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
- Changing demographics of Arctic cities
- Cultural responses to globalization in the North
- Vulnerability and resilience to environmental change
- Growth and impacts of extractive economies
- Port development and shipping activities
- Environmental protection and regulatory frameworks
- Evolving national and international governance regimes