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Environment and Society in a Changing Arctic (AK1214)

Summer course at KTH, Kiruna and Tarfala June 3 – July 5, 2015

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1. Introduction There is an increasing international interest in the Arctic, triggered by the effects of global warming. Retreating ice sheets and glaciers, decreasing sea ice, changing seasonality of snow and ice, permafrost thaw and changing ecosystems characterize the present Arctic. These changes with large potential feedbacks have led to increased efforts by scientists to monitor the changes, explain their causes and predict their consequences. The changes have also led to an increased economic interest in the Arctic. The prospect of an Arctic ocean free from sea ice in the near future can offer new possibilities for extracting oil and gas reserves there, as well as new shipping routes between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In addition, global economic trends such as the rising demand for base metals on the world market has resulted in a increasing interest in exploration and mining in the far north. Together these changes pose a challenge to all stakeholders in the region, from indigenous peoples, local residents and municipalities, to policy makers and economic actors on the regional, national and global scales. The changes also pose a challenge to students who wish to work for sustainable development in their careers.

The Arctic environment and the ways humans relate to and depend upon it, have undergone changes before however. Therefore, the point of departure for this course is that in order to understand the present development and its possible outcomes, we need to know why and how the region has developed from a long term perspective.

The geographical focus of the course is on the Fennoscandian Arctic, but changes in this region will be placed in a larger Arctic and global context. The Sami indigenous population has lived in the Fennoscandian Arctic since ancient times and the Nordic states have had a foot there since the mediaeval period. The natural environment in the region has undergone several changes since the last glaciation (10 000 years ago), often triggered by changes in the climate. The indigenous peoples of the north have shaped their lifestyle´s in interaction with these changing environmental contexts, but also in relation to new colonizers in the region. Over the centuries actors from the centers of power in the southern parts of the Nordic countries have successively increased their interests in the Fennoscandian Arctic, as an arena for taxation, science, tourism industry, resource exploitation, energy production and settlement. Thus the current mining boom is nothing new, but the scale of the operations and their potential impacts on environments and societies are more severe than ever before and therefore pose a challenge to residents (indigenous and non-indigenous), economic and political stakeholders and for policy makers on local, regional and national levels. We are aware we need to predict the effect of cumulative impacts of which climate change and extractive industries are the two most important for this region.

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1.1 Objectives and learning outcomes The aim of the course is to provide a thorough orientation about long-term changes in the Arctic region, with a particular focus on the Fennoscandian Arctic. Which environmental changes has this region experienced historically? Why and how have humans used the region? How can we use past experiences when assessing the impact of the currents changes? The course focuses on three interrelated themes – 1) climate- and environmental change, 2) culture and representation and 3) the history of science, industry and politics. After the course, students will be able to:

1. Recount climatic and environmental changes in the Arctic

2. Describe and explain the main processes of societal change in the region

3. Conduct basic field research through documentation of natural phenomena, cultural remains and interviews

4. Perform simple research tasks by using and combining the different sources.

5. Critically analyze current events in the Arctic, in relation to the course contents

1.2 Learning activities AK1214 Environment and society in a changing Arctic will be held at KTH, Valhallavägen campus in Stockholm, Sweden; and in the field in the Kiruna area in Norrbotten county, located in the Swedish Arctic. Here we will spend a week at the Tarfala Research Station which is located in a high alpine setting

(www.ink.su.se/tarfala or Tarfala Research Station on Facebook). The course participants are students from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm University (SU) and from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), USA.

The major learning activities are the following:

Lectures: An important part of the course comprises of lectures which normally last for one hour. Most lectures are given by teachers from KTH, SU and UIUC.

Excursions: On occasions, the lectures will be complemented by visits to museums in Stockholm, focused on museums which in various ways deal with the Arctic.

1. Field education at the Storglaciären glacier

2. Exploring Arctic mining landscapes - Kiruna iron ore mine

http://www.ink.su.se/tarfala

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Field work: The students will be trained in field research (documentation of natural phenomena and cultural remains as well as interviews), during the two week field work period. As a part of the field work, the students will collect data for use in their written assignments.

Seminars: An important part of the course consists of seminars. The seminars will be in three different forms – literature seminars, field work seminars and essay seminars. The literature seminars will be devoted to the course literature. They are normally 1 hour long and follow the lectures. The students will have a reading assignment and during the seminars, we will discuss the literature and the lectures. At the beginning of each seminar, there will be a quiz on the readings. The field work seminars will be held in conjunction with the field work. The essay seminar will be held on two occasions during the course – one at the beginning and one towards the end. During those seminars the students will have the opportunity to present their work in progress and receive feedback before completing and handing in their final essays.

Writing an essay: The students will write an essay in pairs. This essay must deal with research problems pertaining to environmental and societal changes in the Fennoscandian Arctic. The essays should be based on data the students collect during the field work (both natural and humanities-social science data which must be combined), and on course literature and lectures. The essay must contain clear and informed reference to course literature from all disciplinary fields in the course. In addition other literature sources may be used. At the beginning of the course, a full synopsis of the essay should be presented at a seminar. Towards the end of the course a work in progress on the essay shall be presented and discussed. The final version of the essay should be handed in at a date in the second week of august.

1.3 General outline of the course The first part of the course will be held at KTH, Valhallavägen campus in Stockholm, from June 3 to June 18, and consists of a series of lectures, seminars and museum visits on the topic Arctic environmental and societal change. The lecture schedule is summarized below.

The second part of the course takes place in Kiruna and Tarfala in the Swedish Arctic from June 22 to July 5 and consists of different field work exercises, focusing on different aspects of the changes taking place in the Arctic.

One set of field work excursions will focus on the societal and environmental legacies of large scale mining operations, with visits to spectacular mining sites such as the Boliden Aitik open pit copper mine, and the LKAB mines in Kiruna, Svappavaara and Malmberget – the latter a mining town that is currently being swallowed up by a huge open pit. A visit will also be made at the Porjus hydropower station, originally built to provide electricity to this 3. Tarfala research station – base for the Arctic course 2015

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Arctic mega system for mining. The field work tasks will focus on the legacies of large scale mining in the Arctic and how local communities can deal with those legacies in order to build sustainable futures. Students will conduct interviews with actors and document mining landscapes and various representations of history (museums, cultural trails, exhibitions).

Another set of field work excursions will focus on the environmental impacts of climate change. These excursions will take place in the spectacular Tarfala valley – a heavily glaciated high alpine valley in the Swedish-Norwegian mountain range. In Tarfala valley we will be based at the Tarfala research station, located below the highest peaks in Sweden – Kebnekaise. We will walk to Tarfala station from the Sami village Nikkaluokta and use the station as a base for a week of excursions in its surroundings. The field work tasks will focus on the retreat of glaciers, changing ecologies and geology and geomorphology.

The general objective of the field work is to train students in addressing main research problems of the course, by documenting and analyzing evidence on environmental impacts of climate change, as well as data pertaining to the consequences of natural resource extraction in the Arctic. A third objective is for the students to collect data for their final essays.

The main teachers of the course are faculty members from KTH, SU and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Dag Avango (Division of History, KTH), Gunhild Rosqvist (Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, SU) and Mark Safstrom (Germanic Languages & Literatures Department, UIUC). Other members of the teacher team are: Anna Stenport (EU Centre, UIUC) and Hanna Vikström (Div of History, KTH) and Annika Nilsson (Stockholm Environment Institute).

5. Students having break by mountain stream 4. High alpine Tarfala valley

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2. Course schedule

Week 23: Lectures and seminars at KTH Room: TBD

Monday June 1

Tuesday June 2

Wednesday June 3

Thursday June 4

Friday June 5

Saturday June 6

Sunday June 7

9-12 Arrivals Pick up keys

Free Lectures

Lectures National day with student ambassadors

Free

13-15 Arrival introductions

Seminars

Seminars

Week 24: Lectures and seminars at KTH Room: TBD

Monday June 8

Tuesday June 9

Wednesday June 10

Thursday June 11

Friday June 12

Saturday June 13

Sunday June 14

9-12 Lectures

Lectures Lectures

Lectures

Lectures Free Free

13-15 Seminars Seminars Seminars Seminars

Seminars

Week 25: Lectures and seminars at KTH – departure for Arctic Sweden Room: TBD

Monday June 15

Tuesday June 16

Wednesday June 17

Thursday June 18

Friday June 19

Saturday June 20

Sunday June 21

9-12 Lectures

Lectures Lectures

Lectures

Midsummer celebrations

Free Departure for Kiruna

13-15 Seminars Seminars Seminars Seminars First essay comments

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Week 26: Field work Subject to revision.

Monday June 22

Tuesday June 23

Wednesday June 24

Thursday June 25

Friday June 26

Saturday June 27

Sunday July 28

9-18 Kiruna Laevas + Sametinget Luossavaara

Kiruna Municipality Mine tour

To Tarfala Tarfala Vegetation Lectures

Tarfala Storglaciären Lectures

Tarfala Lichen Lectures

Tarfala Mountain tour

Week 28: Field work Subject to revision.

Monday June 29

Tuesday June 30

Wednesday July 1

Thursday July 2

Friday July 3

Saturday July 4

Sunday July 5

9-18 Tarfala Geomorphology

To Nikka Kiruna Muesums

Kiruna Malmberget Wind farm

Kiruna Aitik Dundret

Kiruna Porjus Svappavaara

Kiruna Wrap up To Sthlm

6. Kiruna mining town in Arctic Sweden

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3. Lecture schedule All lectures and seminars will take place at KTH campus. The exact location of lecture halls will be determined later.

Wednesday June 3 Place: TBD

Lecture (13.00-13.45): Stockholm, Sweden and the KTH (Sofia Norlander and Erica Buck)

Lecture (14.00-14.45): Environment and Society in a changing Arctic – general introduction (Dag Avango, Gunhild Rosqvist and Mark Safstrom)

Thursday June 4 Place: TBD

9-12: Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology in Arctic research: introduction to the field (lecture, Gunhild Rosqvist)

13-15: Climate change and its impacts in the Arctic – general overview (lecture, Gunhild Rosqvist)

Readings: TBA

Friday June 5 Place: TBD

9-12: Climate change and its impacts in the Fennoscandian Arctic (lecture, Gunhild Rosqvist)

Seminar on readings.

13-15: Environmental impacts of large scale resource extraction (lecture, Gunhild Rosqvist)

Readings: TBA

Monday June 8 Place: TBD

9-12: The human geography of the Arctic: humans and societies from Svalbard to the Berings strait (lecture, Dag Avango)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

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13-15: The human geography of the Fennoscandian Arctic (lecture, Dag Avango)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

Tuesday June 9 Place: TBD

9-12: Sweden in the Arctic: colonization, science and industry (lecture, Dag Avango)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

13-15: Constructing natural resources: the global and the local in the development of the mining industry in the Fennoscandian north (lecture, Dag Avango).

Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

Wednesday June 10 Place: TBA

9-12: Mining industry and local/Indigenous communities (lecture, TBA)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

13-15: Foundations of Arctic Narratives: Accounts from Antiquity & the Viking Sagas

Readings: Readings: “The Norse Myths”; “The Vinland Sagas”; Johan Turi’s “An Account of the Sami” pp. 3-33 (start and stop at nearest headings)

Thursday June 11 9-12: The Arctic as 'Home': Intro to Sami and Indigenous Populations in the North

(Lecture, Anna Westerstahl-Stenport and Mark Safstrom)

13-15: Visit and analyses of the Sapmi exhibition at Nordiska Museet (Nordic museum), with introduction by Dr. Eva Silvén, Nordic museum and discussions led by Anna Westerstahl-Stenport.

Readings: Excerpts from Turi’s “An Account of the Sami” pp. 37-59, 66-68, 177-183.

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Friday June 12 Place: TBD

9-12: Film Screening, The Kautokeino Rebellion (Nils Gaup, 2008) and Sami Daughter Joik (Liselotte Wajstedt, 2008).

13-15: Seminar discussion on the films led by Anna Westerstahl-Stenport.

Readings: TBA

Monday June 15 Place: TBD

9-12: Abandoned industrial landscapes: a curse or a resource for sustainable communities? (lecture, Dag Avango)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

13-15: The Practical & Commercial Narratives: The Early Modern Imagination (lecture, Mark Safstrom)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: Holland’s "Farthest North," Chapter 1.

Tuesday June 16 Place: TBD

9-12: Constructing Pasts for Polar Futures: The Use of History and Heritage in Arctic politics (Dag Avango)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

13-15: The Rational & Scientific Narratives: The Enlightenment Imagination

Seminar on readings.

Readings: Carl von Linné's "Tour in Lapland"; Excerpts from Turi's “An Account of the Sami,” pp. 69-73, 86-90, 97-105, 108-111, 119-163.

Wednesday June 17 Place: TBD

9-12: Governance in a changing Arctic (Annika Nilsson)

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Seminar on readings.

Readings: TBA

13-15: The Sublime & Heroic Narratives: Romanticism & Nationalism (lecture, Mark Safstrom)

Seminar on readings.

Readings: H.C. Andersen’s "The Snow Queen"; Holland’s "Farthest North" Chapter 2-8.

Thursday June 18 Place: TBD

9-12: Field work in Arctic Sweden: research tasks, theory, methodology and an introduction to the Kiruna area

Readings: TBA

13-15: The Closing Frontier: The Narratives of Technology & Conservation (lecture, Mark Safstrom)

Readings: Holland’s "Farthest North" Chapter 10-16.

4. Readings

4.1 Articles and book sections TBA.

4.2 Films TBA.

4.3 Other materials TBA.

4.4 How to get the literature? All articles and sources will be available through the course home page on Bilda.

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5. Field work plan, Kiruna & Tarfala

5.1 Introduction From June 22 to July 5 2014, the field component of the course Environment and society in a changing Arctic (AK1214) will take place at Kiruna and Tarfala, both located in the Norrbotten county of Arctic Sweden. The objective of the field work is to train students in addressing the main research problems of the course, by documenting and analyzing a) natural phenomena giving evidence on climate change and its environmental impacts and 2) data pertaining to the legacies of natural resource exploitation in the Arctic. As a part of this field work, the students will collect data for use in their essays.

Participants will arrive at Kiruna on June 21. On July 5 all course participants will depart Kiruna (or stay on private expense).

5.2 General info about food and accommodation The field work component of the course is divided in to three sections: 1) from the 22nd to the 23rd of June in the Kiruna area, 2) from the 24th until the 30th of June at Tarfala Research Station, Kebnekaise, and 3) from July 1 to July 4 in Kiruna and its vicinity.

5.2.1 In Kiruna During the days we spend in Kiruna we will stay at the Malmfältens logi & konferens. This guest house have plenty of common rooms which can be used for meetings, post-processing of data and work on reports. The guest house is close to the centre of Kiruna where shops, restaurants and most field work localities are located.

http://www.kiruna.fhsk.se/logi-konferens/about-the-company/

While staying in Kiruna, meals can be prepared at the guest house with food acquired from local food stores. There are also restaurants in Kiruna.

7. Mining landscape at Kiruna, Swedish Arctic

8. Ralph Erskine architecture, Kiruna

http://www.kiruna.fhsk.se/logi-konferens/about-the-company/http://www.kiruna.fhsk.se/logi-konferens/about-the-company/

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5.2.2 At Tarfala During the period of time when the course component is based at Tarfala, we will have rooms and all meals at the station.

5.3 Safety The field work will take place in environments which calls for careful behavior. Therefore we want you follow the lead and instructions of the course leadership. If you do not know what you should do, always go and ask a course leader. Never take drastic initiatives without first communicating with the course leaders.

Kiruna and Tarfala are situated in the Arctic. The weather is unpredictable and can been everything from sunshine and 20 degrees Celsius (+) to zero with strong winds and even snowfall. Extended rainfall is common. This means that as a minimum requirement, you must bring 1) shell clothes (jacket and trousers) that must be water proof, 2) a warm second layer (preferably fleece), 3) a thinner inner layer (shirt+long johns) and 4) sturdy and water proof hiking boots. 5) Hat, gloves, sunglasses. You are obliged to bring these items. If you do not, you may be unable to take part in the field work at Tarfala.

There are mosquitos in the region below the tree-line. Lots of them. Bring repellent.

9. Research labs and accommodations for scientists at Tarfala research station

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Also make sure to bring extra clothes to change if you get wet. Bring a daypack rucksack for carrying lunch sandwiches and dry clothes during field work excursions. To use common sense is the best advice. At the end of this course description there is a packing list. Bring the clothing and equipment specified on that list.

If you have any further questions concerning equipment and clothes, do not hesitate to contact Dag Avango (avango@kth.se).

5.4 Schedule Subject to revision

June 21. Airline travel to Kiruna Flight for Kiruna depart Arlanda, terminal 4. Exact timing to be determined. We meet at Arlanda airport, terminal 4, 2.5 hours in advance of the flight. This is motivated by our experience that it takes a very long time to check in a big group of mixed nationalities. Be there on time.

Flight schedule:

Departure (Arlanda aiport, terminal 4): TBD

Arrival (Kiruna airport): TBD

After arrival at Kiruna we will go by airport shuttle to Malmfältens logi & konferens and get our rooms. Thereafter we take a joint walk to acquire any needed foodstuffs.

17.00: Briefing about field work tasks during the following day.

18.30: dinner and free time

June 22. Kiruna Field work in Kiruna area. Theme: Indigenous communities and mining. This day we will devote to meetings with representatives of the Sami community in the Kiruna area and the Sami Parliament. In the evening we will study abandoned mining landscapes on the fringes of the Kiruna municipality. Details will be provided later.

10. Preparation for safe crossing of glacier by staff and scientists at Tarfala research station

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June 23. Kiruna Field work in Kiruna area. Theme: Narrating the past, defining the future. This day we will begin with a visit to the underground visitors center inside of the LKAB iron ore mine at Kiruna at 500 meters depth. In the afternoon we will visit the Kiruna town hall where Prof. Göran Cars will present the plan to move the city of Kiruna to a new location. Details will be provided later.

11. LKAB representative at the company's visitors center 500 m below ground in the Kiruna mine, explaining LKAB's motives for moving the town of Kiruna to a new location.

June 24. Kiruna-Tarfala Check out from Malmfältens logi & konferens in the morning. Departure for Nikkaluokta by bus. At Nikkaluokta the road ends. There we will be met by a helicopter which will transport our entire luggage to the Tarfala research station. After the helicopter has departed, we hike along the trail to the Tarfala Research Station (about 20 kilometers) through spectacular alpine terrain. During the walk to Tarfala, an important field work task is to take notes on and photos document infrastructures and resources that are part of the tourism industry in the region.

July 25. Tarfala valley Field work at Tarfala valley. Theme: environmental impacts of climate change. The day will begin softly with introductory lectures and an excursion for studying vegetation changes. Details will be provided later.

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12. Field lecture on the environmental consequences of climate change at Tarfala valley

July 26. Tarfala valley Field work at Tarfala valley. Theme: environmental impacts of climate change. The day will be devoted to a full day excursion to the Storglaciären glacier, for the study of glacier retreat. Details will be provided later.

July 27. Tarfala valley Field work at Tarfala valley. Theme: environmental impacts of climate change. The day will be devoted to a full day excursion up the moraines of Tarfala glacier, to study of lichens as an indicator of glacier retreat. Details will be provided later.

July 28. Tarfala valley Field work at Tarfala valley. Theme: geological history of the Tarfala valley. This day we will climb and traverse one of the alpine mountain ranges at Tarfala valley, for the purpose of studying the geological history of this area. Details will be provided later.

July 29. Tarfala valley Field work at Tarfala valley. Theme: Reindeer husbandry in the alpine zone. This day will entail a visit to the reindeer herders of Laevas Sami

13. Field work below the highest peak of Sweden - Kebnekaise

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village in the mountain range. Details will be provided later.

July 30. Tarfala valley to Nikkaluokta Departure for Nikkaluokta. All luggage will be transported with helicopter. Students and teachers will hike back the 20 kilometers (+) along the trail. Upon arrival at Nikkaluokta, we will travel by bus back to Kiruna and check in at Malmfältens folkhögskola.

July 1. At Kiruna Field work at Kiruna. Theme: narrating the past, constructing the future. This day we will visit a number of museums and cultural heritage sites in the Kiruna municipality: the Hjalmar Lundbohm museum, the historical company town, the Ralph Erskine housing complex, the Kiruna tourism office and visitors centre and the Sami cultural centre. The research task for the day is to compare how the mining company, the municipality and the Sami community describes their past and their visions for the future.

14. Mining landscapes as cultural heritage - Malmberget

July 2. Malmberget Field work at the mining town Malmberget, located south-east of Kiruna. During the day we will study the impacts of ongoing as well as historic mining activities for the community and its environment. We will study the mining town, which will be abandoned in the coming years because of the mining activities underneath it. We will also visit the LKAB underground mine and the corporate mining museum, in which the company presents its narrative about the past of Malmberg as well as the future of the town. When

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returning to Kiruna we will stop and study the wind power station and massive tailing ponds on the north-west side of the town.

July 3. Aitik Field work at the Boliden Aitik mine, located south-east of Kiruna. This day will be devoted to an extensive visit the mining company Bolidens open cast copper mine at Aitik. The mine is one of the largest open cast mines in Europe, extending 3,5 km by 800 meters, with a depth of about 500 meters and tailing ponds as large as Södermalm in Stockholm. The mine visit will give an idea about the impacts of mining on Arctic landscapes as well as some of the problems pertaining to landscape remediation. The visit will also help our understanding of the larger infrastructures and production processes connected with mining. After the visit at Aitik we will go by minibuses to the top of the mountain Dundret to get an overview of the mining area in relation to the surrounding forests and mountain ranges.

July 4. Porjus and Svappavaara Field work at the Porjus hydro power station, located south of Kiruna. This power station was built at the beginning of the 20th century to provide electric power to the Norrbotten iron ore mines and the railway system connecting them to the harbors at Luleå and Narvik. The Porjus power station and the massive water dam it created has strongly effected the lives and economic activities of Sami reindeer herders in the areas. In this respect Porjus is also an example on the impacts of the several large hydro power stations that was built by Swedish companies in Sapmi through much of the 20th century. At Porjus we will discuss those issues on site, where the impacts on the landscape are visible. At Porjus we will also look at how the energy company that runs it narrates its history to visitors.

On the way back from the Porjus power station we will make a shorter visit at the mining town of Svappavaara, located a short distance south from Kiruna.

16. Students by an ore truck at Aitik 15. Aitik copper mine - one of the largest open pit mines in Europe

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July 5. Departure from Kiruna for Stockholm (or elsewhere) Check out from Malmfältens logi & konferens in the morning, departure at by airport shuttle to Kiruna airport (or elsewhere for students who intend to stay)

Flight schedule:

Departure (Kiruna airport): TBA

Arrival (Arlanda airport, terminal 4): TBA

After arrival, Dag Avango will assist students who need to pick up luggage at KTH.

17. Final group photo before leaving Tarfala valley, Arctic course, summer 2014

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6. Packing list (essentials) The list below describes the essentials of the personal luggage you need for the field exercises in Spitsbergen.

Bags 1) Bag for main luggage. Preferably water resistant. Back pack or sports trunks are good. Avoid airport bag on wheels.

2) Day pack. Smaller back pack for field excursions. Should have enough space for bringing extra clothing, sandwiches, camera, band aid etc. on day excursions from the field camp. Backpack cover is convenient.

3) Water proof bag. Smaller water proof bag for keeping devices that must not get wet, for example cameras, lap-tops, pads, and phones.

Shoes 4) Boots. It should be water proof boots which are made for walking - high enough to support the ankles, with a good “foot bed” (a good insole will usually do as well) and a good grip sole. Bring indoor shoes.

18. The weather can change fast between warm and cold at Tarfala valley

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Clothing It is of outmost importance that you choose your clothing wisely. The principle you should follow is to have three layers of clothing + extras.

5) Layer 1: water and wind proof jacket and trousers, preferably Gore-Tex

6) Layer 2: fleece jacket and fleece trousers

7) Layer 3: thinner long johns and sweaters

8) 2 extra sets of layer 3 (it will get wet. You must not wear wet clothes. You must not get cold!)

9) Headwear

10) Warm gloves + 1 extra

11) Scarf or buff

12) Thin socks – one pair on and a minimum of 5 extras

13) Thick socks – minimum of two pairs

14) Underclothing – as many as you figure you will need

19. Sturdy shoes are needed - the terrain is often rocky and often wet

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Other items 15) Camera – this is essential, you will need it for your field work tasks

16) Water proof light weight packing bags for keeping the extra clothes dry (plastic bags sufficient)

17) Plasters to protect blisters on your feet (Compeed or similar brands) and plaster tape

18) Head ache pills

19) Immodium (for stopping a running stomach)

20) Sun block

21) Sun glasses

22) Straps and extra shoe laces (handy not only for shoes but also for tying up stuff)

23) Extra batteries for your cameras

24) Extra memory cards for your cameras

25) Wake up alarm (cell phone)

26) Water bottle

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27) Walking sticks

29) Mosquito repellent!

Other items you might want to bring (not compulsory, but convenient) 30) Binoculars

31) Earplugs (your room companions might snore)

32) Something to cover your eyes with during night time (sun is up 24/7)

Wearing while hiking OBS: the items mentioned here are already listed in the above. The list below is just to give you an idea of what you will wear during our daily hikes:

• Day pack with extra clothing, lunch pack, water bottle, plasters, sunblock, sunglasses and worn out extra shoes

• Sturdy hiking boats (water proof) • Layer 1 water proof jacket • Layer 1 water proof trousers • Layer 2 fleece jacket • Layer 3 thin set of long underpants +

undershirt • Thin socks • Thick socks • Water bottle • Head wear • Gloves • Scarf

20. What will be the future of the Arctic environment and the peoples living in it? Take part in the debate by joining Environment and society in a changing Arctic 2015!

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7. Requirements In order to pass the course and receive a grading, you need to meet the following requirements:

a) Mandatory attendance during all course activities: in order to pass the course you need to be present at all lectures, seminars, museum visits and in all activities during the entire field work period.

b) Read the course literature and prove that by correctly answering reading quiz questions at the seminars.

c) Actively participate in discussions during seminars and during field work. d) Write an essay in cooperation with other students.

Examination: The course is examined in three ways – 1) by active participation in discussions on the course literature and correct answers on the literature quizzes, 2) by collecting field data from all field visits (museums, mining sites and natural environments) in a note book and 3) by writing the above mentioned essay.

7.1 Grading The course uses the grading system of KTH and SU – the ECTS grading scale. This grading scale ranges from F (fail) to A (excellent), according to the following:

A = excellent

B = very good

C = good

D = satisfactory

E = sufficient

F = fail

A distinction is made between the grades FX and F that are used for unsuccessful examinations. FX means: “fail- some more work required to pass” and F means: “fail – considerable further work required”.

Passing the examination in ak1214 requires active participation in discussions during lectures and seminars, as well as writing and presenting an essay. In other words, the overall grading is based on the major learning activities, which are a) lectures and excursions, b) field work c) seminars and d) writing the final examination essay. The grading is made according to the following principle:

1) 10% active participation in lectures, seminars and excursions

2) 30% active participation in field work and compiling field documentation i n a field notebook

3) 50% the examination essay

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4) 10% presentation of the examination essay

The grading is related to the learning objectives of the course, according to which the students should be able to:

1. Recount climatic and environmental changes in the Arctic

2. Describe and explain the main processes of societal change in the region

3. Conduct basic field research through documentation of natural phenomena, cultural remains and interviews

4. Perform simple research tasks by using and combining the different sources.

5. Critically analyze current events in the Arctic, in relation to the course contents

These learning outcomes can be achieved in all of the above mentioned learning activities. However, since 60% of the grading is related to the examination essay, the grading of this essay is of special importance.

Criteria for grading

In order to get an E (1-20), the student should accomplish the following: 1) Display sufficient general knowledge regarding major climatic and environmental changes in the Fennoscandian Arctic, in discussions and quizzes.

2) Display sufficient general knowledge about cultural and societal change in the history of the Fennoscandian Arctic, in discussions and quizzes.

3) Display results of field work (documentation of natural phenomena, built environments and interviews) in the note book and the essay.

In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get a D (21-40): 4) In the essay display satisfactory knowledge regarding major climatic and environmental changes in the Fennoscandian Arctic, exemplified by clear references to lectures, literature and field work, using proper citations.

5) In the essay display satisfactory knowledge regarding societal and cultural change in the European Arctic, exemplified by clear references to lectures, literature and field work, using proper citations.

6) In the essay, having used and combined the field data (natural phenomena, built environment and interviews) in order to perform a simple research tasks.

7) The research task presented in the examination essay should have a logic disposition and a clear narrative, with headlines and sections.

8) The essay should have a proper introduction with questions, delimitations, sources and methods. It should have an analyses section and end with conclusions where the questions are answered.

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In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get a C (41-60) (in the essay): 9) Discuss the relation between environmental changes and societal changes in the Arctic.

10) Voice separation: the student displays an ability to separate his / her voice from the voice of the sources (literature, lectures, interviews etc).

In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get a B (61-80)(in the essay) 11) In the analyses, the student show an ability to use his / her field work data together with other course materials (literature and lectures), in order to discuss the relation between environmental changes and societal changes in the Arctic.

12) Critically analyze current events in the Arctic, in relation to the course contents.

In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get an A (81-100) )(in the essay): 13) Present conclusions that not only summarize the results and answers the questions, but also interpret the results, discuss and make reflections on a higher level of abstraction, and/or suggest alternative interpretations.

14) Display a critical approach when using and analyzing the sources (natural phenomena, statements by actors and the built environment).

7.2 The essay The examination essay is written by work groups and should consist of an introduction, analyses dealing with two interrelated research problems and a conclusion. The students should write the introduction and the conclusion sections as a group, while the analyses should contain individually written sections (clearly indicated with names). The essays should first and foremost be based on data the students collect during field work, but with clear references made to the overall literature and the lectures of the course.

The essay shall be between 5000-7000 words, distributed according to the following: Introduction 1000 words, Analyses section 2000 + 2000 words and conclusions 1000 words.

The essay should be structured in the following way:

Introduction

General introduction The introduction should present how the group’s chosen topic(s) fits in the context of the overarching objectives and research questions presented in the lectures of the course regarding historical and current changes in the Arctic (environmental as well as societal changes).

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Questions Here the authors should present the research questions which will guide their analyses and choice of sources. (Remember that the data collected in the field should be central in these research questions.)

Sources and methods In this section the authors describe the methods used to obtain and analyze the sources that will be collected – observations of natural phenomena, your recorded interviews of people, and documentation of the built environment. It should introduce a summary explanation of the critical approach(es) that will be used in the following individual essays.

Analyses This section is comprised of two individually-written essays, introduced by a brief transition paragraph. The documentation from your field note book should be included as an appendix to the essay.

A) Environmental changes in the Arctic

This section should describe a change in an Arctic natural system which could be forced by climate change, social change or both. The section should include a description of the change, a discussion of how and why the change is occurring and an analysis of how the environmental change impacts both natural and social systems. The timeframe over which the change is occurring should be a focus of this section and consideration of change over a range of timescales is encouraged.

B) Societal changes in the Arctic

This section should deal with societal changes in the Arctic resulting from global economic trends, focusing on:

- Economic activities (for example mining, tourism, reindeer herding) and the consequences of these activities for people and the environments in which they live and work, preferably dealing both with problems and opportunities.

- Implications for how cultural narratives impact people's view of the environment and how environment informs cultural narratives. Here it will be essential to draw from class discussions of literature, film, the arts and visual culture.

This section should include historical perspectives on the described changes, discussing how the past relates to the present and the future (from the authors' and/or the actors' perspective).

Discussion and conclusion In this final chapter you should bring together and relate your results from the two sections of the analyses (described above). This chapter should answer the overall questions of the essay, which you presented in the introduction.

Note that you should try to lift your essay to a higher level of abstraction in the conclusions than was presented in the introduction. You can do that by addressing the overall research problem of the course

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– the relation between environmental and societal change and human action in the Arctic. How should we understand that relation? Why do changes take place in the Arctic? What can we learn from the past and present in order to better deal with the future?

7.3 Communication and educational tools All information will be given through the web-based system at KTH called Bilda. As soon as students are registered, they can access the course webpage in Bilda (see www.kth.se).

http://www.kth.se/

Environment and Society in a Changing Arctic (AK1214)Summer course at KTH, Kiruna and Tarfala

1. Introduction1.1 Objectives and learning outcomes1.2 Learning activities1.3 General outline of the course

2. Course scheduleWeek 23: Lectures and seminars at KTHWeek 24: Lectures and seminars at KTHWeek 25: Lectures and seminars at KTH – departure for Arctic SwedenWeek 26: Field workWeek 28: Field work

3. Lecture scheduleWednesday June 3Thursday June 4Friday June 5Monday June 8Tuesday June 9Wednesday June 10Thursday June 11Friday June 12Monday June 15Tuesday June 16Wednesday June 17Thursday June 18

4. Readings4.1 Articles and book sections4.2 Films4.3 Other materials4.4 How to get the literature?

5. Field work plan, Kiruna & Tarfala5.1 Introduction5.2 General info about food and accommodation5.2.1 In Kiruna5.2.2 At Tarfala

5.3 Safety5.4 ScheduleJune 21. Airline travel to KirunaJune 22. KirunaJune 23. KirunaJune 24. Kiruna-TarfalaJuly 25. Tarfala valleyJuly 26. Tarfala valleyJuly 27. Tarfala valleyJuly 28. Tarfala valleyJuly 29. Tarfala valleyJuly 30. Tarfala valley to NikkaluoktaJuly 1. At KirunaJuly 2. MalmbergetJuly 3. AitikJuly 4. Porjus and SvappavaaraJuly 5. Departure from Kiruna for Stockholm (or elsewhere)

6. Packing list (essentials)BagsShoesClothingOther itemsOther items you might want to bring (not compulsory, but convenient)Wearing while hiking

7. Requirements7.1 GradingCriteria for gradingIn order to get an E (1-20), the student should accomplish the following:In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get a D (21-40):In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get a C (41-60) (in the essay):In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get a B (61-80)(in the essay)In addition the student should accomplish the following in order to get an A (81-100) )(in the essay):

7.2 The essayIntroductionGeneral introductionQuestionsSources and methods

AnalysesDiscussion and conclusion

7.3 Communication and educational tools