”Behind God’s back” and” in the middle of nowhere” are some of the descriptions that one hears when people are talking about Lapland. Although long since clichéd, these are not haphazard remarks: they reflect the image people have of the region.

Mindful of such politics of place, Northern Insights – Feminist Inquiries into Politics of Place, Knowledge and Agency stops to explore what the concept of place can contribute to feminist knowledge and agency. The research views “place” as referring to not only geographical location but also a mental and emotional state and a cultural and political product. Most of the articles in the volume focus on Finnish Lapland, but the themes covered in the work go well beyond the geographical borders of the province.

The concept of place has played a central role in feminist research. While it proved instrumental in recognizing the north-south divide globally, its potential in studying geographical location nationally remains largely untapped. Yet, such a focus prompts a range of salient questions on the nature of knowledge: What is local knowledge, what is its significance and does knowledge always travel from south to north? It is with such questions in mind that the authors of the volume set out to contribute northern Finnish perspectives to the feminist debate on the politics of place.

One particular focus of the volume is women’s opportunities for agency in Finnish Lapland in the context of the gendered nature of societies in the North. By analysing gender and agency in cultural products or through narratives of experience, the authors open up perspectives on everyday life in a variety of northern communities.

The contributors to the volume are Mervi Autti, Seija Keskitalo-Foley, Riitta Kontio, Mari Mäkiranta, Päivi Naskali, Hanna Peltomaa, Minna Rainio, Pälvi Rantala, Sandra Wallenius-Korkalo and Outi Ylitapio-Mäntylä. The authors’ research interests span the fields of culture, politics, gender and media.

The authors will be discussing the work at a publication ceremony, to be held on Thursday, 22 August at 2 pm in lecture room 9 at the University of Lapland.

Welcome!

For additional information, please contact
Seija Keskitalo-Foley, University Lecturer
Faculty of Education
Mobile: +358 40 484 4116
Email: seija.keskitalo-foley (at) ulapland.fi