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Aberdeen lies at the hub of a region that extends eastwards to the Nordic and Baltic countries and to northern Russia, and westwards to Iceland, Greenland, Canada and Alaska. The development of Anthropology in this University has been underpinned, from the outset, by the objective to make Aberdeen the principal centre for anthropological research in this circumpolar region. Today, we have the largest concentration of anthropologists working in the North within the UK, and one of the largest internationally. Our research is recognised as world-leading. This focus on the North does not, of course, exclude other regions, since a diversity of regional perspectives and the comparative dimension this opens up are essential to the vibrancy of work in the discipline. It does, however, shape many of our principal interests.
Our research spans a broad range of northern regions and diverse anthropological topics.
Research on arctic environments is illustrated in Tim Ingold’s work on movement, perception and dwelling and Rob Wishart’s research on pipelines, hearths and on the politics of hunting, and Tanya Argounova-Low and Arnar Árnason's research on mobility and roads. Argounova-Low investigates narrative, knowledge, time and memory focusing on roads in Yakutiia.
Research into creative efforts by arctic peoples to mediate colonialism is found in Nancy Wachowich, Alex King and Tanya Argounova-Low’s oral history research. Tanya Argounova-Low and Arnar Árnason write about public monuments and memorials. Rob Wishart is interested in arctic hearths and Nancy Wachowich on Inuit use of film and digital media. Jo Vergunst works on contemporary environmental art. Alex King, Arnar Árnason and Tanya Argounova-Low are interested in ritual practice. These are just a few of our diverse and evolving research projects focused on the north.
Through our shared interest in materiality and relational aesthetics, a number of us are involved in a project on ‘Beauty from the North’, exploring the ways in which, in our various regions, the close interweaving of material flows and sensory awareness wherein persons and things come into being.
The editorial office for the international journal Sibirica: Interdisciplinary Journal of Siberian Studies is based in the Department as are many members of its editorial board.
We also share research collaborations and ties with staff in the Department of Archaeology working in the north and with the University’s Northern Studies Centre.
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Siuraarjuk, a camp 3 hours across the sea ice from Igloolik, Canada. Photo: Nancy Wachowich. |
Aberdeen’s anthropology department has developed an effective synergy between research and teaching on topics related to the circumpolar North. The Anthropology of the North undergraduate fourth year option is a focus for this and many staff have taught on this course. Circumpolar case studies are also drawn upon to complement our teaching at all levels of our program. In our teaching, we explore what it is to be a contemporary Inuk, Greenlander, Alaskan, Evenk, Saami, Sakha or Kamchatkan in today’s world. We use examples from all of these northern regions, and others, to help us think about anthropological concepts. At taught postgraduate level, the MSc Materialising the Past is oriented specifically to northern Anthropology and Archaeology.
Tanya Argounova-Low, Arnar Árnason, Tim Ingold, Alexander King, Jo Vergunst, Nancy Wachowich, Robert Wishart
Support for Northern doctoral research:
Angus Pelham Burn Awards
Grants totally up to £4,000 per student are awarded to successful applicants each year. This is for costs incurred by postgraduate research students in undertaking anthropological fieldwork, in any region of the circumpolar North (Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, northern Norway, Sweden and Finland, northwest Russia and Siberia, and northern Japan.)
IPSSAS: The University of Aberdeen’s Department of Anthropology is also represented on the Steering Committee for the International PhD School for the Study of Arctic Societies (IPSSAS). This organization holds a yearly PhD school for students from around the world. In 2010 IPSSAS was held in Aberdeen.
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