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Is There Such a Thing as ‘Best Practice’? Exploring the Extraction/Sustainability Dilemma in the Arctic

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Nordic Perspectives on the Responsible Development of the Arctic: Pathways to Action

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Abstract

Resource extraction is an old tradition in the Arctic region and shows a variable historical pattern although with a long-term upward trend that has accelerated in recent decades. This development stands in a complicated relationship to local Arctic communities. They are rarely the prime drivers of the growth in extraction industries. Nonetheless, some of them depend on resource extraction for their very existence while others suffer from extraction, some badly. In this Chapter I will articulate some of the background thinking as we put together a very large team of 15 partner universities/institutes and some 50 scholars, scientists and practitioners in REXSAC to research sustainability and resource extraction in the context of a rapidly changing Arctic with increased vulnerability and mounting outside geopolitical interest. I will present our approaches to theorizing about resource extraction (resources as socially defined) and the formation of sustainability, and I will draw on some of our results so far. I will also present our work to critically engage with policy concepts from the recent neo-liberal past, such as sustainability, assessments, or ‘best practice’.

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Acknowledgments

This chapter draws on conversations, plans, and published research conducted among the entire REXSAC community since its formational stages in 2013 up until the first months of 2020. Although I was an active participant of the process and led and followed our work at (almost) every step of the way, I still benefitted enormously from what I learned from so many others over these years, inside and outside of REXSAC. So many, in fact, that I cannot possibly name everyone here. Several will find their name in the bibliography, which nonetheless covers only a portion of the total REXSAC output. Some merit special mention, though, for either close collaboration, emotional support, inspirational ideas, tireless effort, editorial work, or helpful comments on drafts of the text (or combinations of the above): Dag Avango, Gunnel Gustafsson, Hannu Heikkinen, Joan Nyman Larsen, Britt Kramvig, Marianne Lien, Annika E. Nilsson, Douglas Nord, Andrea Norgren, Lill Rastad Bjørst, Peder Roberts, Gunhild Rosqvist, Kirsten Thisted. I thank you all for your collaboration. For any remaining errors I bear the full responsibility.

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Sörlin, S. (2021). Is There Such a Thing as ‘Best Practice’? Exploring the Extraction/Sustainability Dilemma in the Arctic. In: Nord, D.C. (eds) Nordic Perspectives on the Responsible Development of the Arctic: Pathways to Action. Springer Polar Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52324-4_15

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