Thesis title: ‘Cumulative effects, anthropogenic changes and modern life paths in Northeastern British Columbia: the case of the Doig and BlueBerry River First Nation’
Primary Supervisor: Professor Simone Abram (Anthropology)Secondary Supervisor: Dr Henry Jones (Durham Law School)
Giuseppe’s research focused on the cumulative effects of industrial development and their impact on the culture, lifestyle, and socio-economic organization of two First Nation communities located in Northeastern British Columbia (namely, Doig River and BlueBerry River First Nation). By using an ethnographic approach, he aimed to understand how community members have been able to cope with development, adapting to the modern lifestyle while continuing to perform their traditional activities. Before joining the DurhamARCTIC programme, Giuseppe worked as a junior researcher at the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi (Finland).
He received a European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA) and he holds a Master's and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and International Relations, both from the University of Trieste (Italy). He is involved in several networks and research panels (such as the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Sustainable Resources), and in February 2020 he was elected as PhD representative on the UARCTIC board.
Read about Giuseppe's placement with the Land Department of the Doig River First Nation (Britsh Columbia) here.
Thesis title: Reindeer ecology in a changing Arctic: Snow, vegetation, and traditional ecological knowledge
Primary Supervisor: Professor Robert Baxter (Biosciences)
Secondary Supervisor: Professor Simone Abram (Anthropology)
Based in the Departments of Biosciences and Anthropology, Ilona was researching the winter ecology of reindeer in northern Sweden. Reindeer here are being impacted by a changing climate as well as various forms of land development, altering their winter pastures. Ilona is both using original fieldwork and then developed a model which encompasses this ecosystem to better understand the factors affecting reindeer survival in this season. She considered the knowledge, decision making and level of influence in reindeer management that Saami reindeer herders have, as these factors also strongly impact the health and survival of their reindeer.
Previously, Ilona did a BSc(Hons) in Ecology at the University of Stirling, UK, researching the relationship between otters and fish farming in Shetland. She also studied at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA, and worked as a research assistant on a variety of projects including studying soil carbon fluxes in Abisko, Sweden.
Read about Ilona's placement at Umeå University here.
Thesis title: Access to land, access to justice - The divergence of legal protection: Cultural protection for Sami access to land and water under Swedish law in light of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Primary Supervisor: Professor Tom Allen (Durham Law School)Secondary Supervisors: Dr Benedict Douglas (Durham Law School), Dr Lauren Martin (Geography)
Jan Mikael’s research examined the protection of proprietary interest of Swedish Sámi in light of the European Convention. The research highlights underlying principles of importance for the protection of Sámi proprietary interest from a historical and a contemporary perspective. His research provided a new perspective on Strasbourg’s case law and the importance of the interplay between the national basis of Sámi proprietary interest and the level of regional protection intended by the European Convention.
Before pursuing his doctorate at Durham Law School, Jan Mikael studied law at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and at the Icelandic universities Iceland University and Akureyri University.
Read about Jan Mikael's placement at Sámiid Riikkasearvi here.
Thesis title: Measurement, knowledge, and representation: A sociological study of Arctic sea ice science
Primary Supervisor: Professor Philip Steinberg (Human Geography)Secondary Supervisor: Professor Chris Stokes (Physical Geography)
Laura’s research combined approaches from human and physical geography in the study of Arctic sea-ice science. Informed by ideas from science and technology studies and critical cartography, Laura examined the contemporary scientific practices and technologies that are used to measure, process, and represent Arctic sea ice. With a focus on satellite-derived sea-ice products, she sought to better understand the specific methods, tools, and representational techniques that are used in sea-ice reporting, as well as the societal contexts in which they are developed. The overall aim of the research was to provide a greater understanding of how the dominant practices, technologies, and discourses of science are embedded in the social practices of knowledge production and communication.
Laura holds a BSc in Geography from Durham University and an MSc in Geophysical Hazards (Earth Sciences) from University College London. Prior to commencing her PhD, she worked as a Catastrophe Analyst in London.
Read about Laura's placement at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute here.
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