Centre for Arctic Humanities (ArcHum) is a virtual unit at UiT The Arctic University of Norway that coordinates various research environments. The main purpose is to strengthen professional communities in the field of Arctic humanities, develop collaborative relationships across relevant units at UiT, and advance cooperation with other universities.
The center is a response to the challenges in the Research Council's evaluation of the humanities in Norway and a Norwegian parliamentary report on the Humanities in Norway (2016-2017), as well as to UiT's humanities strategy (2021), and UiT's strategy Eallju – Developing the High North: UiT’s strategy towards 2030 (2022).
ArcHum was initiated by the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts, and the University Library.
Archum progress report (in Norwegian)
Feminist Theories in the Arctic (FemArc)
Indigenous Religion(s): Local Grounds, Global Networks (INREL)
Research on Sámi Research and on Representation of Sámi Cultural Heritage (SamForsk)
Exploration, Exploitation and Exposition of the Gendered Heritage of the Arctic (XARC)
more soon
Traveling exhibition
What does it mean to live with the ocean? What will the seafood of the future look like? How are we going to live by or in the sea? What will the grandchild's job in Harstad be in 2050? The exhibition 'Living with the Ocean' combines visual experiences with thought-provoking questions. The exhibition was discussed among others with UiT's Environmental Humanities group and the local community. It is part of a larger EEA project on coastal culture and is an innovative collaboration between the Sesimbra Maritime Museum in Portugal and CRAFT-Lab. It is an example of innovative research dissemination. It was previously shown in Sesimbra, Portugal, earlier this year and will move on to Brussels in October. Everyone can see and draw on it in Svalbardparken in Harstad throughout the summer. Read more.
Riddu Riddu
UiT has for many years been a central collaboration partner for the Riddu Riddu festival. This year, as usual, the arts and humanities contribute in several areas. This year's UiT seminar is titled Indigenous Knowledge on the Queer Side. We ask: How can we increase knowledge and ensure that it is for, with, and by both queer and indigenous people? We also award the Árdnaprisen for the best master's thesis on Sami or indigenous-related topics. In addition, we are present in the UiT lavvu at the festival area with several of our academic environments.
Network Meeting at Arctic Congress
The Centre for Arctic Humanities organises an international network meeting during the Arctic Congress in Bodø. Everyone is welcome. The meeting gives a possibility for scholars working within the Arctic Humanities to connect with UiT's newly established Centre for Arctic Humanities and express their interest in collaboration. The meeting will take place on Saturday the 1st of June 2024 from 1:00 to 1:30 pm in the communal areas next to 'Kammersalen' in Stormen Concert Hall.
Sandbox symposium
The 21. and 22. of February 2024 the first ArcHum sandbox symposium served as a kick-off for the Centre for Arctic Humanities at UiT. Sverker Sörlin (KTH) gave a keynote on Arctic Humanities: The Rise and Future of an Integrative Knowledge Field. Colleagues with an interest in the Arctic humanities created ripple effects between various research environments at UiT and gathered ideas for new forms of collaboration and meeting places for humanities researchers with an interest in interdisciplinary work within the Arctic humanities. Read the full programme here.
Side event at Arctic Frontiers
Vice-Dean for Research Marie-Theres Federhofer has taken the initiative for the side event 'The Arctic in the Anthropocene' organized by Archum in collaboration with Prof. Cristoph Schneider from Humboldt University of Berlin during Arctic Frontieres 29th January 2024. The event was attended by about 50 people and the panel received a lot of spontaneous positive responses after the session. The event was streamed and is publicly available on Youtube.
Centre for Arctic Humanities opened at UiT
The 6th of December 2023 the Centre for Arctic Humanities was opened by rector Dag Rune Olsen and traditional joik by Niko Valkeapää in Árdna. The opening was accompanied by an international press release. Welcome addresses has been given by Ingeborg Høvik & Sigfrid Kjeldaas from the RCN funded project Arctic Voices and Fern Wickson from the Arctic Sustainability Lab. You can read the whole program here (in Norwegian).