Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic  (SLiCA)

Outline
SLiCA is an interdisciplinary and international research project, which was founded in 1998. The two major objectives are (1) to develop a new research design for measurement of living conditions and individual well-being among the Inuit and Same peoples in the Arctic reflecting the well-fare priorities of the indigenous peoples and (2) to carry out a survey of living conditions among these peoples. The project is developed in partnership with the indigenous peoples organisations. SLiCA has accomplished the first objective and finished data collection in Canada and Alaska. By the end of 2005 data collection will be completed also in Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia (Chukotka and the Kola Peninsula). The data material will consist of approximately 16.000 personal interviews.In 2005 and 2006 SLiCA is focusing on achieving the main objectives of the project – concluding analyses and publishing the findings of the analyses. There are, however, other SLiCA objectives, which it is not possible to carry through due to lack of resources at present. We suggest a research initiative based on three cornerstones for the Joint Committee of the IPY. (1)To establish a data base consisting of SLiCA data. The rationale is to make this data base with comprehensive data on living conditions dimensions (such as education, work, leisure, health, crime, justice, household economy - formal as well as informal - political participations and spirituality etc.) publicly accessible to researchers, students, indigenous communities and organisations as well as to political and administrative authorities.(2)To document the methodological and theoretical assumptions behind SLiCA’s research design and research process. This includes not only a detailed documentation of the theoretical considerations, which SLiCA’s questionnaire and frames of analyses are based on – but also a thorough description of the methodological, logistic and organisational aspects of the SLiCA process. (3)When combining the first two cornerstones it will be possible for researchers outside SLiCA to reiterate (with minor adjustments to the questionnaire) the SLiCA survey among other indigenous peoples as well as other residents the Arctic. The third cornerstone therefore is to make SLiCA’s research design and the experiences of the SLiCA network available to researchers outside SLiCA who wish to carry out living conditions studies among both indigenous and “non-indigenous” populations in the Arctic. It should be stressed that among others the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, RAIPON has strongly expressed their wish to expand SLiCA’s survey to other indigenous peoples in Siberia. If this EoI is endorsed potentially new partners will be addressed before the final research plan is submitted in June 2005.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Focussing on Living conditions in the Arctic, the SLiCA project highlights a variety of questions, problems, concerns and attitudes combining the Inuit worldview with the latest measurement and investigation techniques.Specifically the SLiCA project addresses the following IPY themes and Questions: Theme # 1, Q: 2-3-4; Theme # 2, Q: 1-2-3; Theme # 3, Q3; Theme # 4, Q: 3-6; and Theme # 6, Q: 1-2-4-6. This effort contributes to the requirement of the IPY-program for “a network of social observatories, comparative case studies and databanks of social realities” as well as it meets the requirements of “socio-economic surveys, comparative studies and investigations of living conditions of the polar residents…”

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
SLiCA’s organisation consists of more than 40 researchers representing almost as many research institutions both within and outside the Arctic. In SLiCA’s international board the following institutions are represented: CEIFO, University of Stockholm, Faculty of Social Science, University of Tromsø, Arctic Centre, University of Lappland, Ilisimatusarfik/University of Greenland, GÉTIC, Université Laval, The Barents Centre of Social Research (The Kola Peninsula), ISER, University of Anchorage.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The SLICA data are representative for the Inuit and Saami populations in the Arctic. The repatriation of data to local indigenous communities will take place in the areas mentioned below:· Alaska (the Inupiat of North Slope);· Canada (the Inuit of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, Nunavik and Labrador);· Greenland (Inuit as well as non-Inuit);· Norway (the Same of Nordland, Troms and Finmark)· Sweden (the Same of Nordbotten)· Finland (the Same of Lappland)· Kola Peninsula (the Same and other indigenous peoples of Kola Peninsula)· Chukotka (the Inuit and other indigenous peoples of Chukotka)

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: TBC            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The logistic needs related to building an international data base and providing documentation of SLiCA’s research design are limited to having 4-5 meetings and workshops in SLiCA’s international board. Furthermore, assisting local communities in employing SLICA data will require travel activities. Finally, if researchers/institutions outside SLiCA wish to repeat the survey in other Arctic regions there will be additional travel activities related to SLiCA’s advisory role. It is, however, anticipated that logistics in connection with new data collections is handled by the “owners” of these new projects – and not by SLiCA.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
According to the policy of the Danish National IPY Committee, individual project endorsements are not issued, but the attached letter is written to be attached and referred to as a fulfilment under this section.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?


SLiCA is an interdisciplinary and international research project, which was founded in 1998. The two major objectives are (1) to develop a new research design for measurement of living conditions and individual well-being among Inuit and Saami in the Arctic reflecting the well fare priorities of the indigenous peoples and (2) to carry out a survey of living conditions among these peoples. SLiCA has accomplished the first objective and finished data collection in Canada and Alaska. By the end of 2005 data collection is planned to be completed also in Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia (Chukotka and the Kola Peninsula). The data material will consist of approximately 16.000 personal interviews.For further details see SLiCA’s homepage: www.arcticlivingconditions.org

How will the project be organised and managed?
Geographically, SLiCA consists of 7 countries and 8 major regions (two in Russia). In each region there is one regional co-ordinator. SLiCA’s international management board consists of these 8 co-ordinators plus SLiCA’s project chief. In each region there exists a local research group and an advisory board consisting of representatives from the indigenous population. Until now SLiCA’s international co-ordination has been handled by Statistics Greenland. In the future SLiCA’s secretariat is intended to be at Ilisimatusarfik/The University of Greenland. This organisational structure will prevail in connection with the implementation of SLICA’s IPY project. The international management board will be responsible for data management in connection with giving external actors access to SLICA’s data base.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Especially, the first two cornerstones in SLiCA’s IPY proposal are directly aimed at facilitating education and research within a number of academic disciplines related to living conditions research in the Arctic. Giving access to SLiCA’s data and documenting SLiCA’s research design will be of value for both students, researchers, politicians and indigenous communities in the Arctic.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
In spring 2005 SLiCA will decide which institution that is going to host its international data base. SLiCA´s international management board will discuss and define the access criteria for the data base. At the moment SLiCA in Canada (Université Laval) is collaborating with Statistics Canada in order to give access to micro-data to Inuit communities. This effort includes teaching representatives from these communities’ basic abilities in statistical programming etc. If necessary funding is provided this model will be employed in all SLiCA regions.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
SLiCA will apply for funding for the activities related to this proposal primarily from national funding agencies, the Nordic Council of Ministers and international research councils/funding agencies.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic has been designed to yield first hand knowledge of the Arctic system as reported by representative samples of Arctic indigenous residents. As such, SLiCA can serve as a cornerstone of a Native Observation System in the Arctic.At the Arctic Council ministerial meeting in Barrow, October 2000, SLiCA was accepted as a member of The Sustainable Development Working Group under the Arctic Council. At the Ministerial in Reykjavik, November 2004, this status was confirmed and SLiCA was included in the Sustainable Development Action Plan, 2004-2006.In the summer of 2004 the Sustainable Development Working Group of the Arctic Council proposed that SLiCA was backed up as an IPY initiative.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Project chief Birger Poppel
P.O. Box 278


3900
Greenland

Tel: * 299 32 45 22 ext. 157
Mobile: * 299 55 62 66
Fax: * 299 32 47 11
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation