From photographs of polar bears to the picturesque expanses of snowscapes, the northern narrative is often one of a peopleless wilderness. But the Arctic is home to four million people whose lives, economies, and future are intimately connected to the rest of the world.
While this gap from rhetoric to reality may seem trivial, narratives can limit or expand analysis, reshape our understanding of international relations, and promote or silence policy choices.
Narratives of the North goes beyond acknowledging the power of narratives in the Arctic to understanding how those narratives inform policy, global connections, and public perceptions of the region. From narratives of a last frontier of resource extraction to the front lines of climate change, our research team is exploring what these narratives mean not just for the Arctic, but for our Earth’s shared future.
The Arctic Institute has developed a unique network and approach to presenting the findings of its research. The use of infographics, an interactive webpage, a newly-established news-app and podcasts helps readers to visualize the impact of climate change but also highlights the opportunities that exist in the Arctic today. Through the use of our active and organically-developed social media channels, close cooperation with media, and organization of conferences and workshops, the Institute reaches both today’s policy makers and stakeholders but even more importantly the coming generation which will be confronted with the impacts and opportunities of a changing Arctic.
You can check out our Multimedia publications via our Publications’ Page.
In a time when the media’s critical role of raising awareness and elevating diverse voices is being challenged, The Arctic Institute is committed to providing quality, in-depth exposure to Arctic news stories, events, and research for a global audience. Each year, The Arctic Institute’s team authors articles in High North News, currently in particular Founder and Senior Fellow Malte Humpert, an independent newspaper published by the High North Center for Business and Governance at Nord University, Bodø.
From interviews with scientists on the cutting-edge of permafrost research to conversations with policymakers on tackling plastic pollution in the Arctic Ocean, our team is passionate about creating a more informed public, widening the media dialogue, and expanding readers’ direct access to those studying, working, and living in the region.
Maps provide a useful means of understanding the various ways a region can be understood depending on the industry, discipline, culture or individual. Further, maps allow for the visualization of development and change in a region. Thus, the purpose of our TATW Map of the Month initiative – published each month via our weekly newsletter, The Arctic This Week (TATW) – is to highlight the various ways our changing Arctic can be visualized, by showcasing maps created by various geographers, cartographers and organizations around the world. Maps selected for each month reflect a relevant finding or event related to Arctic geography. TATW Map of the Month maps were not created by The Arctic Institute, but rather shared with permission from the owners in order to make Arctic-related maps more accessible.
Check out our TATW Maps of the Month.