Biopolitics of development in the Barents region
Biopolitics of development in the Barents region
Some critical writers, such as Julian Reid ( ), have suggested that sustain- able development has been, or is currently being, appropriated by economic rationalities, and specifically those of neoliberal doctrines of governance. This may mean that local communities and populations are becoming “adaptive op- portunists” to changing environmental, social and economic conditions. The theme of economic well-being and happiness is at the focus of the chapter by Nils-Gustav Lundgren. The author studies the connection between eco- nomic growth and happiness, presenting some interesting empirical results from the northern Swedish part of the Barents Region. Contrary to some results in international research on happiness, people belonging to a national minority can experience greater happiness, at any rate if they are Sami or in- habitants of the Torne Valley, than other groups of inhabitants in the region. Geographical location can also influence happiness, according to Lundgren: people in Skellefteå and Piteå are definitely happier than the average Nor- rlander. Heidi Sinevaara-Niskanen concludes that the current emphasis on global and large-scale natural resource economy in the region can render other important ‘economies’ of the North invisible, along with questions of gender.
The informal flow of goods, services and people, both licit and illicit, is an es- sential part of the global and regional economy. The unpaid and gendered work of reproduction, which involves domestic, caring and informal labour, is also an intrinsic part of the global and regional economy.
There are also some local tragedies to report from the Barents Region. Soili Nysten-Haarala and Antonina Kulyasova describe the situation among the Pomors as “rapidly leading to the human socio-economic tragedy of a group of people who are dependent on natural resources, the governance of which they have been forced to relinquish”. The competition between state legislation and traditional rights is leading to the same sad result as that suggested by the theory of the tragedy of the commons – not to the regulated protection of biological resources, as the Federal Law on Fishery claims. The authors suggest that “[w] hether they are considered to be an indigenous people or not, it is clear that the Pomors are a group of people who are dependent on traditional fishery.” Instead of demanding recognition for the Pomors as an indigenous people, the writers’ view is that the Pomor Movement should emphasize the special economic, social and cultural conditions of the Pomors and demand special legislation, examples of which can be found in the history of Pomorie as well as in recent legislation of the neighbouring countries.
The importance of public participation in promoting socially sustainable development is stressed by many authors in the book. In some cases, civil so- ciety can become a counter force to “neoliberal sustainability”: for example, non-governmental organizations cooperate with companies and try to include social and environmental factors in the relationship with the local communities (Aarsaether et al. 4; Hønneland and Blakkisrud ; Heleniak ; Ri- abova ). Luc Ampleman stresses the importance of planning and public participation for effective regional governance of transportation. In a region like the one covered by the Barents Euro-Arctic Transport Area (BEATA), Ampleman concludes that the challenge of transport planning is even more complex than in many other cases. The regional planning process of sustainable transport established links between planners several years ago. Many common projects are still under development, and the common interest in going further with a general vision for the region still seems to have general support. The author suggests some measures to facilitate the next steps, such as the elabora- tion of indicators that are adapted to Arctic conditions, the use of simplified tools to facilitate the general participation and understanding of all stakehold- The importance of public participation in promoting socially sustainable development is stressed by many authors in the book. In some cases, civil so- ciety can become a counter force to “neoliberal sustainability”: for example, non-governmental organizations cooperate with companies and try to include social and environmental factors in the relationship with the local communities (Aarsaether et al. 4; Hønneland and Blakkisrud ; Heleniak ; Ri- abova ). Luc Ampleman stresses the importance of planning and public participation for effective regional governance of transportation. In a region like the one covered by the Barents Euro-Arctic Transport Area (BEATA), Ampleman concludes that the challenge of transport planning is even more complex than in many other cases. The regional planning process of sustainable transport established links between planners several years ago. Many common projects are still under development, and the common interest in going further with a general vision for the region still seems to have general support. The author suggests some measures to facilitate the next steps, such as the elabora- tion of indicators that are adapted to Arctic conditions, the use of simplified tools to facilitate the general participation and understanding of all stakehold-
Vladimir Didyk, for his part, highlights the importance of local institu- tions in promoting sustainable development since the establishment of Bar- ents cooperation in the early s. Although the role of local government in achieving sustainable development at the local level is potentially high, its actual implementation in the Russian regions in general, including the areas that are part of the BEAR, is weak. This weakness is due to recent development factors, the absence of a national development strategy, and weak civil society in Rus- sia. However, some international projects and programs in the region have had
a positive impact on strengthening local self-government and advancing the sustainable development of local communities. In Nafisa Yeasmin’s view, cultural mediation can play an effective role in promoting a better understanding of cultures, as well as improving attitudes among local peoples, based on a case study of immigrants and their problems. In Rovaniemi, Finland, there are many governmental and non-governmental organizations and projects aiming at enhancing multiculturalism. The author argues that local attitudes towards immigrants are a complex phenomenon that cannot be generalized. Those attitudes vary from one person to the next. Proper initiatives to promote mutual knowledge and understanding among immigrants and the local population may improve the overall situation and contribute to the development of Finnish society, according to the author.
future research needs
The political economy of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region has several special features: there is greater diversification of economic activities than in the Arctic as a whole; the role of the EU is important in regional policies, trade relation- ships and various development projects; and there is extensive political coop- eration in the region by various political bodies, participants and programs. All these characteristics make the region an interesting case study for the explora- tion of the connections between economic development, local communities and practices of governance (Duhaime et al. 4; Political economy of north- ern regional development ; Megatrends ). Many of the current na- The political economy of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region has several special features: there is greater diversification of economic activities than in the Arctic as a whole; the role of the EU is important in regional policies, trade relation- ships and various development projects; and there is extensive political coop- eration in the region by various political bodies, participants and programs. All these characteristics make the region an interesting case study for the explora- tion of the connections between economic development, local communities and practices of governance (Duhaime et al. 4; Political economy of north- ern regional development ; Megatrends ). Many of the current na-
Our suggestion is to develop a joint, long-term Barents research program that mobilizes research institutes, researchers and local stakeholders to study, document and critically evaluate regional dynamics towards sustainable devel- opment, focusing in particular on various governance practices that either en- able or hinder socially sustainable development in the region. There is a need to ) produce multidisciplinary knowledge about challenges and threats to, as well as opportunities for, sustainable development across the Barents Region; ) syn- thesise macro- and micro-level knowledge about current neoliberal and other governance practices as a catalyst for sustainable development through joint research, workshops and publications; ) disseminate information concerning the research process and its results through social media, websites and travelling exhibitions; and
4) develop a long-term Nordic-Russian research partnership to document and critically evaluate the Barents Region’s evolution towards sustainable development.
The overall aim of this research strategy should be to denaturalise sustain- able development as a neoliberal technique of governance and question the existing ways of understanding “unsustainability” as a problem for local, na- tional and regional governance. Future research should challenge the domi- nant neoliberal, economically driven conceptions of sustainable development and transform their current limitations by studying local, national and regional discourses and governance practices. Such discourses and practices cannot be studied by focusing only on local communities and populations; there is a need for broader analysis of changing historical, social, political and economic gov- ernance at different levels across the Barents Region. Moreover, serious and thoughtful analysis of the place of the Barents Region within the wider global context of international political economy in its diverse forms would afford a more holistic assessment of the position of this region vis-à-vis the EU and the Circumpolar North as a whole.
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