A special seminar of the Center for Arctic Studies by Lindsay Arthur of the University of Akureyri, Iceland, was held at JRL on February 25, 2025 from 15:00-16:00. She was visiting Associate Professor Saunavaala at the Arctic Research Center for a week starting February 20.
Title: Advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples: The role of Researchers in Japan both internationally and domestically.
Seminar Summary: My research investigates the development of the rights of the Ainu people in the context of Japan’s engagement in the Arctic. I am currently examining this relationship through a specific lens, focusing on Japan’s relationship with Indigenous rights in international governance structures. The central question of my research investigates in what ways has Japan’s evolving approach to Indigenous rights influenced its engagement with Arctic Indigenous peoples and shaped its role as an Arctic Council Observer State? And conversely, how have Arctic and international governance structures influenced Japan’s Indigenous rights policies? This research builds upon my paper published in 2020, titled “Assessing Japan’s Arctic Engagement during the ArCS Project (2015–2020),” which aimed to stimulate Japan’s engagement with Arctic Indigenous peoples as part of the ArCS program. My seminar will delve into one aspect of my research, the role of scientific researchers in Japan in the development of Indigenous rights both in the Arctic and domestically in Japan. I anticipate a lively discussion on this topic.
