Nov 22, 2024: Presentations by Peter Schweitzer and Olga Povoroznyuk at the AAA 2024 Annual Meeting

Peter Schweitzer and Olga Povoroznyuk will be presenting at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, November 20 – 23, 2024, in Tampa, USA. This year’s conference is centered around the theme Praxis, considering the present and future praxis of anthropology, the application of praxis in our communities, and praxis as collaborative work.

On Friday 22 November, from 12:45 pm to 2:15 pm (EDT), the two InfraNorth team members will contribute to the panel “Anthropological Perspectives on Climate Change and Infrastructure” (session 1584 – part 1), which focuses on the impact of climate change on Arctic infrastructure and sustainable infrastructure development in a shifting environment:

  • Peter Schweitzer will present “Climate Change and the Built Environment: Arctic Perspectives,” focusing on different forms of (transport) infrastructure in the North American, European and – to a lesser extent – the Russian Arctic. He will examine whether roads and other forms of infrastructure can enable sustainable livelihoods, or whether they are simply triggers and/or symptoms of environmental change.
  • Olga Povoroznyuk will present “Maritime Infrastructure: Global Climate Change and Connectivity in a Divided Arctic,” based on her ethnographic research on seaport expansions in Tiksi (Russia), Nome (USA), and Kirkenes (Norway). She will explore the social, cultural, and environmental impacts of maritime infrastructure while reflecting on the promises and threats these projects pose for Arctic coastal communities in a context of climate change and reconfiguring global connections.

In addition, on Wednesday 20 November, from 10:15 am to 11:45 am (EDT), Peter Schweitzer will be part of a round table on “Gender and Kinship in Deep Past: Unified Analysis in the 21st Century?”

The full program is available online here.

Jun 5, 2025: Keynote Speech by Philipp Budka at the IDSF 2025 Social-Science Track

InfraNorth researcher Philipp Budka will deliver the keynote address for the Social Science Track at the International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) 2025, held under the theme “Sovereignty and Solidarity in the Digital Age – a critical view.” Hosted by the Vienna Centre for Societal Security (VICESSE) and the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, it will […]

Apr 16, 2025: Rudolphina Magazine Features Research by Peter Schweitzer

The University of Vienna’s research magazine, Rudolphina, recently featured Peter Schweitzer, principal investigator of InfraNorth, and his long-standing anthropological engagement with Arctic communities. Schweitzer’s research focuses on issues related to the built environment, mobility, remoteness, and the social impacts of climate change on community life in the Arctic. The article, which includes a video interview […]

Apr 16, 2025: Presentation by Philipp Budka at the Manitoba Museum

InfraNorth team member Philipp Budka will deliver a public presentation of his research titled “Infrastructural Sovereignty and the Social Life of Transport: Ethnographic Insights from Northern Manitoba, Canada” on Wednesday, April 16, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM (GMT-5) at the Manitoba Museum Auditorium in Winnipeg, Canada. Churchill, Manitoba—a remote Subarctic town of approximately 870 residents—offers […]

Apr 8, 2025: Nunatsiaq News Features Research by Katrin Schmid

InfraNorth team member Katrin Schmid’s recent presentation on transport infrastructure and food sovereignty in Nunavut was featured in Nunatsiaq News, a local newspaper in the region. Schmid shared her findings at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum in Iqaluit on April 8, 2025, in a public presentation titled “Country Food Cargo: How Transport Infrastructure Shapes Food Sovereignty […]

Apr 9, 2025: Community Talk by Philipp Budka in Churchill, Manitoba

On April 9, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM CDT (GMT-5), Philipp Budka will present a talk titled “Navigating Change: How Transport Infrastructure Shapes Life in Churchill” at the Theatre of the Town Centre Complex in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. As part of this community event, the InfraNorth researcher will explore how transport infrastructures both shape […]