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Urfolkighet? Om strategisk essentialism och samisk mobilisering i tidningen Samefolket

Ståhl, Adam LU (2022) STVK03 20221
Department of Political Science
Abstract
The essay explores how the Sámi newspaper Samefolket in Sweden self-constitutes the global collective known as indigenous peoples, through a post-structuralist lens. It starts from the observation that the Swedish government primarily grants the Sámi its group rights as a minority and as reindeer herders, rather than as an indigenous population. Furthermore, when Sami activists in the early 1970s allied themselves with the emerging indigenous peoples movement, they were not immediately welcomed. Rather, they were viewed with some suspicion by the other delegates, members of groups which had all been invaded by western colonial powers. Through the framework of Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory, it finds that Samefolket draws on both... (More)
The essay explores how the Sámi newspaper Samefolket in Sweden self-constitutes the global collective known as indigenous peoples, through a post-structuralist lens. It starts from the observation that the Swedish government primarily grants the Sámi its group rights as a minority and as reindeer herders, rather than as an indigenous population. Furthermore, when Sami activists in the early 1970s allied themselves with the emerging indigenous peoples movement, they were not immediately welcomed. Rather, they were viewed with some suspicion by the other delegates, members of groups which had all been invaded by western colonial powers. Through the framework of Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory, it finds that Samefolket draws on both formal and substantial formulations of the term indigenous, and mobilises discourses of environment, spiritualism, and authenticity to constitute indigeneity. At the same time the reporting subordinates several possible positions, not least the identities worker, entrepreneur, climate activist, and woman. I argue that this can be conceptualised as a process of strategic essentialism, whereby internal differences are downplayed temporarily to put forward united political demands. In the case of the Samí these constitute primarily expanded self-determination and rights to traditional land and water, but also environmental and agricultural policies. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Ståhl, Adam LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK03 20221
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Sámi politics, indigeneity, discourse theory, Swedish minority politics, indigenous peoples
language
Swedish
id
9080232
date added to LUP
2022-07-03 08:46:19
date last changed
2022-07-03 08:46:19
@misc{9080232,
  abstract     = {{The essay explores how the Sámi newspaper Samefolket in Sweden self-constitutes the global collective known as indigenous peoples, through a post-structuralist lens. It starts from the observation that the Swedish government primarily grants the Sámi its group rights as a minority and as reindeer herders, rather than as an indigenous population. Furthermore, when Sami activists in the early 1970s allied themselves with the emerging indigenous peoples movement, they were not immediately welcomed. Rather, they were viewed with some suspicion by the other delegates, members of groups which had all been invaded by western colonial powers. Through the framework of Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory, it finds that Samefolket draws on both formal and substantial formulations of the term indigenous, and mobilises discourses of environment, spiritualism, and authenticity to constitute indigeneity. At the same time the reporting subordinates several possible positions, not least the identities worker, entrepreneur, climate activist, and woman. I argue that this can be conceptualised as a process of strategic essentialism, whereby internal differences are downplayed temporarily to put forward united political demands. In the case of the Samí these constitute primarily expanded self-determination and rights to traditional land and water, but also environmental and agricultural policies.}},
  author       = {{Ståhl, Adam}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Urfolkighet? Om strategisk essentialism och samisk mobilisering i tidningen Samefolket}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}