Nordic research points to a higher exposure to violence among Indigenous populations compared to majority populations, particularly Indigenous women, and to barriers for supporting Indigenous persons subjected to violence. At the same time, this is a new, limited and sporadic research field and structures for collaboration and knowledge exchange are currently lacking.
The aim of this project is therefore to establish, strengthen and further develop the Nordic research community on gendered violence in Sámi and Inuit communities, through three central objectives:
- To establish a structure and network for knowledge sharing, cooperation and capacity building in research on gendered violence in Sámi and Inuit communities, involving researchers across different disciplines and central Indigenous stakeholders in the Nordic area.
- To contribute to socially sustainable research and community development related to gendered violence in Sámi and Inuit communities through a revitalized dialogue about Indigenous and feminist research ethics and methodologies between researchers and Indigenous stakeholders.
- To increase the impact and visibility of research on gendered violence in Sámi and Inuit communities in public policy, Indigenous communities and the academia.
The network involves key researchers in all Nordic countries and will collaborate closely with the Saami council and the Inuit Circumpolar Council Greenland as key partners. Through Indigenous collaboration, the network will advance and spread knowledge about respectful and ethical involvement of Indigenous Peoples in research on gendered violence.
The project will be led by early career researcher Jennie Brandén and anchored at the research group Lávvuo at Umeå University. Through its activities – a network website, digital newsletters and meetings, research seminars, a webinar series, a thematic issue, a policy brief and a project report – the network will increase awareness and competence about gendered violence in Sámi and Inuit communities in research, among policy makers and Indigenous organizations.
By providing a much-needed structure for exchanging knowledges, identifying challenges and building capacity for dialogue and collaboration - between researchers and central Indigenous stakeholders - the network will strengthen this research community and contribute to a more ethically sound and sustainable research and community development, that will help combatting the violence.
Network participants
- Associate professor Jennie Brandén, Umeå University, Sweden
- Postdoctoral fellow Jon Petter Stoor, Umeå University, Sweden
- Professor Monica Burman Fe, Umeå University, Sweden
- Research Professor Rauna Kuokkanen, University of Lapland, Finland
- Professor Christina Viskum Lytken Larsen, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
- Researcher Ivalu Katajavaara Seidler, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
- Chair of ICC Health Committee Arnârak Patricia Bloch, Inuit Circumpolar Council, Greenland
- Senior researcher Solveig Bergman, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic stress studies, Norway
- Researcher Hannah Helseth, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic stress studies, Norway
- Adviser and project manager Tonje Margrete Winsnes Johansen, Saami Council, Norway