Sep 2026: Chapter by Peter Schweitzer in “Anthropology in Motion” (Andre Gingrich, Ed.) Now Open Access
The book chapter “Remote connections: Human entanglements with built and natural environments in the Arctic and elsewhere,” written by InfraNorth principal investigator Peter Schweitzer and published as part of Anthropology in Motion, edited by Andre Gingrich and published by Sean Kingston Publishing in 2021, is now available open access.
In the chapter, Schweitzer revisits the anthropological study of remoteness, arguing that remote locations have received comparatively little theoretical attention. As anthropological research has increasingly turned towards sites that foreground global and transnational connections, supposedly remote places have often been left at the margins of these discussions. Schweitzer instead approaches remoteness as a relational category, shaped not only by spatial distance and difficult access, but also by social and political dimensions.
Schweitzer explores the continued relevance of remote regions for anthropological research through two case studies of ‘remote connections.’ One of them concerns environmental anthropology and climate change and the other examines infrastructure through the example of a railway in eastern Siberia. The chapter demonstrates the relevance of studying remote regions for understanding human entanglements with both natural and built environments, while also highlighting the connections between remote locations and broader processes.
For more information, visit the website of Sean Kingston Publishing.
