Sami space for agency in the management of the Laponia World Heritage site

Abstract

This article investigates the space for agency of the Indigenous Sami in the management of the Laponia World Heritage site in northern Sweden. Analysing policy documents and interviews with key actors within a framework of post-colonial and discourse theory, I argue that discursive constructions of the management organisation, understandings of the relationships between the parties involved, and perceptions of challenges for the management organisation affect the Sami space for agency in the management of Laponia. Furthermore, there is a tension between the intrinsic value of Sami influence that follows an understanding of the Sami as an Indigenous people and the more instrumental value of Sami influence following a focus on the Sami reindeer-herding communities as important for the values of the World Heritage site. The positioning of the Sami in Laponia affects, and in some ways limits, the space for Sami political agency. It also connects to colonial discourses, historical and contemporary inequalities, and unequal power structures. Nevertheless, the management of Laponia is a unique example of increased Sami influence, resulting from Sami political struggle for recognition of their rights.

Keywords:

• UNESCO World Heritage
• Indigenous peoples
• Sami
• protected area management
• post-colonial

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the interview participants for their time and contribution. Thanks also to the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the paper, to Camilla Sandström for many helpful comments throughout the research process, and to Rebecca Lawrence and Christina Allard for constructive remarks. Earlier drafts of this paper were presented at the 11th Nordic Environmental Social Science Conference, Copenhagen, June 2013, and at the conference Sámi Customary Rights in Modern Landscapes, Luleå, August 2013.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. An RHC (Swe. Sameby, lit. “Sami village”) is an economic association for reindeer herders, and also refers to the geographical area in which the RHC is entitled to pursue reindeer husbandry.

2. Tjuottjudus is a term for management or administration in Lule Sami language.

Additional information

Funding

This study is part of the project “Indigenous Rights and Nature Conservation”, funded by the Swedish Research Council Formas.