Globalization, Gender, and Governance: Impacts on Indigenous Health in the Circumpolar North
The phenomenon of globalization is connecting our world at a faster rate than ever before in history, across almost every discipline imaginable. Two pillars of globalization, sociocultural and environmental, are particularly relevant when considering impacts on the health of Circumpolar populations. The ecological landscape of the Arctic and sub-Arctic is changing at an unprecedented rate due to anthropogenic climate change. These environmental changes are inextricably linked to sociocultural changes in Indigenous communities, as cultural and spiritual ties to the land shape community and individual identity. The interaction between loss of natural environment and traditional way of life has been identified as a risk factor for mental health challenges in Indigenous youth in the Circumpolar North.
An important lens through which to examine this impact of globalization on health is gender. It is important to consider gender roles in this dialogue because these roles determine power dynamics, which have far-reaching implications for resource allocation. Closely tied to this is the concept of governance, which is impacted by gender roles and also reinforces them. The interplay between gender and governance has critical ties to how natural resources are managed in the Circumpolar region, linking through the interconnected web back to the environmental and sociocultural relationship which impacts the mental health of Indigenous youth. Drawing on literature from Canada and Norway, this intersection of globalization, gender, and governance will be discussed to better understand how mental health is impacted, and how adaptation strategies may be developed to mitigate these health challenges facing Indigenous youth in the Circumpolar North.
My name is Elizabeth Wallace, and I am a master’s candidate in the MSc. Global Health program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. As a practicum placement for my program, I am working at the Centre for Women and Gender studies in conjunction with the K.G. Jebsen Centre for Law of the Sea from May 13th – July 5th. I am working on a project looking at the interaction of globalization, gender, and governance as it relates to mental health of Indigenous youth in the Circumpolar North. Working across the two disciplines of gender research and law helps to provide a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of the ways in which globalization plays a role in environmental health. Global health is a subject which is interdisciplinary at its core, so the opportunity to bridge the perspectives from gender and law is incredibly valuable to advancing research in this field.
