ArcHum Research Seminar Series
Once a month, a research environment at UiT opens its doors to colleagues from across the university. The ArcHum Research Seminar Series is short and different every time, and it always comes with fruit, tea and time to talk.
The ArcHum Research Seminar started in September and is organised by UiT's Centre for Arctic Humanities (ArcHum). The idea is simple. Every month, one of ArcHum's 27 research environments hosts a 45-minute session about its research. Afterwards, there is time for questions, conversation and informal networking.
Arctic humanities at UiT is spread across many departments, faculties and campuses, and colleagues often know surprisingly little about what is going on in the next building or in another town. The seminar is meant as a meeting place where researchers can discover shared interests.
A different host every month
ArcHum Research Seminars
- A monthly 45-minute seminar hosted by one of ArcHum's 27 research environments.
- Each host shapes the session: keynote, conversation or another format.
- Held in Norwegian or English, depending on the host.
- Always fruit, tea and time for networking afterwards.
- Livestreamed for colleagues on other campuses, with recordings available afterwards.
- Free and open to all UiT staff and students, whether or not you belong to an ArcHum environment.
Each host environment shapes the session in its own way and in its own language. The first session was a single keynote in Norwegian on freedom and limits in nature. The second was a conversation in English between anthropologists about reindeer, wolves and bears. On 29 October, three art historians from Worlding Northern Art will discuss art biennials in the North as exercises in preparedness.
Some environments host a lecture, others a conversation or something closer to how they actually do their research. The variety reflects how differently the research environments work. When an archaeologist, a fisheries scientist and a music researcher share a room for 45 minutes, conversations can arise that no single department could produce on its own.
Fruit, tea and time to talk
Some things stay the same. Every seminar is followed by fruit and tea, and by time to talk with colleagues you might not otherwise meet. You are welcome to come for the whole session or just for the conversation afterwards.
Wherever you are
UiT is a multi-campus university, and the seminar is designed with that in mind. Every session is livestreamed for colleagues in Alta, Harstad, Narvik and elsewhere. Recordings are available for those who could not make it. Over time, the seminar will also move between campuses. The aim is that no one should have to be in Tromsø, or have a free afternoon, to take part in the conversation.
More than one faculty
ArcHum was established in 2023 by the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, the Arctic University Museum of Norway, the Academy of Arts and the University Library. The initiative has since grown beyond the humanities. It includes today 27 environments. They present themselves in the booklet Arctic Humanities – Knowledge to become a better human, published together with UiT's Brussels Office.
The seminar continues in spring 2027 with new hosts. Research environments at UiT that would like to host a session, or to join ArcHum, can contact Lilli.mittner@uit.no.
Program autumn 2026
22 September — Svein Anders Noer Lie (EnvPhil)
Frihet og grenser i naturen
Time: 12:15–13:00
Location: Naturfagbygget, 1.103 Episenteret or livestream
16 October — Richard Fraser with Piers Vitebsky (EA:RTH)
Reindeer, Wolves, Bears: Ecological and Spiritual Relations with Humans
Time: 10:15–11:00
Location: SVHUM E0101 Auditorium or livestream
29 October — Hanne Hammer Stien, Stephanie von Spreter, Elin Haugdal (WONA)
Kunstbiennaler i nord – øvelser i beredskap
Time: 15:15–16:00
Location: SVHUM B1003 or livestream
3 December — Camilla Brattland (SamForsk)
Mapping changes to traditional use of lands, waters and seascapes in Sápmi
Time: 09:15–10:00
Location: ILP 1.007 or livestream
Kortnytt fra Fakultet for humaniora, samfunnsvitenskap og lærerutdanning, Fakultet for biovitenskap, fiskeri og økonomi, Det helsevitenskapelige fakultet, Fakultet for naturvitenskap og teknologi, Det juridiske fakultet, Fakultet for ingeniørvitenskap og teknologi, Institutt for språk og kultur, Institutt for filosofi og førstesemesterstudier, Institutt for arkeologi, historie og religionsvitenskap, Senter for kvinne- og kjønnsforskning
