| NSF Org: |
OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 1, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 18, 2018 |
| Award Number: | 1732242 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Erica Hill
OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | August 1, 2017 |
| End Date: | October 31, 2020 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $186,966.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $186,966.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2018 = $114,018.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1730 M ST NW WASHINGTON DC US 20036-4553 (202)939-3800 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1730 M Street NW #700 Washington DC US 20036-4553 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | ASSP-Arctic Social Science |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.078 |
ABSTRACT
Inuit possess a distinct and sophisticated knowledge of the Artic ecosystem which is crucial to its balance and sustainability. As first inhabitants, stewards, and traditional users intimately tied to the Arctic environment, the discrete status, rights, and interests of Inuit as Indigenous Peoples are affirmed in a number of legally binding treaties, as well as other international human rights instruments and domestic laws. Inuit authorities, organizations, and communities are central to the establishment and maintenance of effective mechanisms for safeguarding this ecologically and culturally unique region.
The Food Sovereignty and Self-Governance Project aims to advance understanding of Inuit self-governance of marine resources deemed crucial for Inuit food security. This includes exploring how Inuit co-management systems support food sovereignty objectives - outcomes that are essential for supporting human rights of Inuit communities. This project will examine the role Inuit communities in Alaska and Canada play in managing these resources as co-equal partners with their counterparts in federal, state, and local government agencies. The results derived from the research will prove valuable to other Arctic federal governments collaborating with Indigenous communities to achieve objectives related to the environmental, social, and ecological well-being of the Arctic.
The project's overarching goals are to:
1) Synthesize the existing legal frameworks providing for Inuit self-governance by evaluating applicable legal authorities in the United States (U.S.) and Canada;
2) Determine how existing Inuit self-governance approaches operate in practice by examining four co-management case studies as examples of approaches to food sovereignty. This will provide a comprehensive understanding of the social, political, and institutional parameters affecting implementation of key legal frameworks;
3) Understand whether and how Inuit self-governance systems support food sovereignty by comparing food sovereignty objectives against both these legal frameworks and observation of the implementation of those systems in practice; and
4) Disseminate Project findings to Inuit, state/territorial, national, and international leaders with the goal of supporting and driving improvements to systems providing for collaborative management of Arctic marine resources in the face of rapid ecological change.
The Project Team will take a two-tiered analytical approach to address these goals: (1) doctrinal legal research that evaluates legal and institutional frameworks; and
(2) socio-legal analysis through case-studies. The legal research will examine relevant laws, regulations, and policies at all levels of government, building a framework essential to understanding how Arctic collaborative governance functions in theory. The case studies will take the next step - moving from how these governance systems should work to how they operate in practice - and, ultimately, how they could be improved in a manner which optimizes outcomes for food sovereignty, human rights, and resource sustainability. Case studies conducted in partnership with those participating in co-management regimes, will focus on Walrus and Salmon in Alaska and Char and Beluga in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of Canada. Current partners of this project include:
(1) The Eskimo Walrus Commission
(2) The Fisheries Joint Management Committee
(3) The Inuvialuit Game Council
Organizations advising this project include both the Association of Village Council Presidents and the Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada.
Project researchers conducting the case study analysis will follow a "co-production of knowledge" approach, in which no one person's information and knowledge is assigned greater inherent value than another's. Researchers with utilize Indigenous Knowledge and social science methodologies. The project will intimately engage with Inuit who play a role in natural resources management in the U.S. and Canadian Arctic under each case study, through focus groups, semi-directive interviews and discussions'all guided by input provided by an expert Advisory Committee.
The Project will advance the state of knowledge on how Inuit self-governance approaches support Inuit food sovereignty objectives and resource sustainability. With a combined focus on the United States and Canada, the Project will enable comparative analysis of legal and institutional structures, practices, and perceptions to facilitate critical evaluation of Inuit self-governance over marine resources as embodied in co-management regimes. This research will also be useful for other Arctic nations that are working with Indigenous peoples to achieve the environmental, social, and ecological well-being of the Arctic.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
"All governments should know that Inuit are borderless. We are all brothers and sisters. So it doesn't matter if you are in Greenland or Alaska, we are all one." -Canadian tribal participant
"Laws come already written: pieces of paper dictating how we must live." -Alaskan tribal participant
For thousands of years, Inuit have been part of the Arctic ecosystem. Inuit have thrived and built their culture rooted in values that shape the relationships they have held with everything within this ecosystem. Those values including respect, collaboration, and sharing all aid in supporting healthy and harmonious relationships and communities. A core element of Inuit culture that incorporates these values is hunting, gathering, and preparing foods. Discussions about food security require an understanding of the far-reaching implications of how issues of food security interact with culture, history, management systems, and world views. The interconnections between all peoples, wildlife, and the environment within the Arctic ecosystem directly influences food security, and food sovereignty is distinctly tied to food security.
This project addressed a major gap in knowledge and awareness: what is the best approach to management and co-management of Arctic resources in a rapidly changing climate, and how does that relate to Inuit culture and knowledge? That gap involves many interrelated variables, including: climate change impacts that outpace the ability of traditional management to adapt, legal systems not designed for climate change, and power structures that sometimes formed at a time when Inuit voices were not adequately respected and elevated. The project sought to use socio-legal research methods to analyze four case studies of Arctic magagement related to beluga, char, salmon, and walrus. By conducting hundreds of interviews and focus groups, reviewing the comprehensive list of laws and policies from the local to international levels, and combining all of the information in a co-production of knowledge approach, the project aims to provide a path forward that elevates Inuit voices in management decisions.
The project brought together numerous co-authors from tribes in Alaska and Canada to write the final report. Inuit have made it clear that changes are required to existing management and co-management frameworks. Some needed changes are based on the mechanics of how law works. While those changes matter, it's not just about laws. Participants and co-authors expressed that a fundamental shift is needed in how government officials interact with Inuit. At the forefront is a need for communication that respects and honors the inherent status, rights, roles, and governance systems of Inuit, while also acknowledging the history of injustices from federal, state, and territorial governments.
Project Participants broadly agreed on the following recommendations, listed under eight themes. The eight themes are
- Self-determination requires that Inuit lead the way in decisionmaking processes and also requires the support of international coordination
- Inuit management and co-management bodies should be provided with stable, long-term federal/state/territorial funding that supports capacity building as defined by Inuit
- Meaningful working relationships require trust, respect, sharing, and cooperation, and education
- Consultation should be treated as a truly substantive exchange of ideas, knowledge, and views between partners, with increased weight given to Inuit voices, rather than a procedural box-check
- Allocation and regulation of resources should start and end with Inuit co-management bodies, with federal/state/territorial government bodies supporting those decisions
- Research funding should flow to Inuit and outside research projects should heavily involve Inuit input and direction
- Disputes should be resolved on an equal footing
- Addressing the impacts of climate change is key for Inuit food sovereignty
Overall, it is imperative to consider that these recommendations are not just to improve management, but to recognize centuries old yet continuing, vibrant Inuit culture, values, and economies reflective of the important interconnecting relationships that exist for Inuit within the Arctic. The recommendations in the report are essential for human rights and justice in a changing Arctic environment.
Last Modified: 03/01/2021
Modified by: David Roche
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