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‘Translating’ Vulnerability at the Community Level: Case Study From the Russian North

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Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in Arctic Regions

Abstract

This chapter presents findings from anthropological research on Nenets community vulnerability to anthropogenic and environmental changes in North West Russia. Rapid changes in the environmental landscape in combination with ongoing societal changes pose a real threat to the livelihoods and semi nomadic way of life of reindeer herders. Variation in the freeze-thaw cycles of sea- and inland ice, alteration in the timing and intensity of weather events, and river bank erosion, influence the mobility and lifestyles on the tundra and in the villages. Numerous previous small- and large scale development projects have been visited upon this remote location such as the introduction of the cattle breeding among Nenets, as well as engineering attempts to develop road infrastructure, to retard river erosion, to ensure safe drinking water sources, to improve electricity supply for the village, and to introduce specific requirements to improve travel safety were not successful. In most cases the cause of ultimate project failure was not only insufficient consideration of local natural environmental conditions or limited funds, often the new projects or new technologies failed to take into account local perceptions. This chapter analyses how members of an Arctic society perceive, conceptualise and negotiate changes in their environment, focusing on cultural factors that shape human sensitivities and adaptive strategies. I argue that concrete measures that people take to respond to changes in their environment and possibilities of lowering vulnerability will depend as much on human values as on planning, engineering and policies.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    BALANCE project (Global Change Vulnerabilities in the Barents Region: Linking Arctic Natural Resources, Climate Change and Economies) was supported by the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission (2002–2005)

  2. 2.

    Nenets belong to officially recognised category of so called ’small numbered indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East’.

  3. 3.

    There is no information on water quality at the remaining 8 settlements (13% of the population).

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Acknowledgments

The project Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in Arctic Regions was greatly supported by Finnish Academy, decision number 114038. With deep respect I thank the residents of the Nenets Autonomous District for sharing their knowledge about their environment. This paper could not been written without their expertise, patience and warm hospitality. I want to express my particular gratitude to Rita Mikhailovna Vylka and Nikolai Grigorievich Vylka for their hospitality during my fieldwork in Nelmin Nos and sharing their knowledge about every day life in village and in tundra camp. The author is grateful for the friendship and research partnership of many herders of Nenets Autonomous District. For support and sharing their experiences we especially thank Anatolii Aleksandrovich Taleev, Ardeeva Anisia Egorovna, Alla Pavlovna Gavrileva, Philipp Martynovich Taibarei, Martyn Prokopievich Taibarei, Nikolai Ivanovich Taleev, Vasilii Artemievich Shishelov, Aleksandr Ivanovich Lytkov, Aleksei Aristarkhovich Taleev, and Vera Ivanovna Letkova. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Nenets people’s association ‘Yasavey’. Many thanks go to Jeremy White who worked hard and patiently reviewing the manuscript.

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  1. Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, PO Box 122 FI – 96101, Rovaniemi, Finland

    Anna Stammler-Gossmann

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Correspondence to Anna Stammler-Gossmann .

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  1. Environmental Research - Oslo CICERO, Center for International Climate and, Oslo, 0318, Norway

    Grete K. Hovelsrud

  2. , Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Stone Road East 50, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Barry Smit

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Stammler-Gossmann, A. (2010). ‘Translating’ Vulnerability at the Community Level: Case Study From the Russian North. In: Hovelsrud, G., Smit, B. (eds) Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in Arctic Regions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9174-1_6

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