Inuit Studies Conference 2022

New Collaborations on Social Services, Supports and Wellness in Arctic Canada and Beyond: An Evolving Academic Field

Auviqsaqtut: Inuit Studies Conference June 22, 2022 (Winnipeg, MB)

In December 2020, a unique project at the University of Washington’s Canadian Studies Center was founded to build an international team of scholars and community leaders whose research and work focused on social services, support, and wellbeing in Arctic Canada (and beyond). While the primary goal was to develop a special issue for an academic journal, the project aimed to also build interdisciplinary relationships. We viewed these relationships as essential to building a foundation for the new and evolving academic field of Arctic Wellness. For those involved in this project, the majority of opportunities to connect with others who work in this same field has traditionally been highly limited and often occurred only at annual or biennial conferences, such as the Inuit Studies Conference. The coming together regularly through ongoing meetings, writing workshops, and a speaker series, meant the project team met repeatedly, learned more about each other’s work, and forged new professional relationships.

While the special issue will be published in the American Review of Canadian Studies, Volume 52, perhaps the most essential outcome of this project lies in the development of a professional international network for Arctic studies, shared ideas for the developing field, connection with those in the community, and next steps and future directions. Panelists at the Inuit Studies Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba (June 19-23, 2022) shared their experiences of being involved in the project and how this project has impacted them personally (insights achieved through their involvement) and professionally (how the project is meaningful and applicable to their own areas of research). We expect a collaborative paper to be developed concerning this project in the coming year.

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Co-Chairs

• Patricia Johnston
• Tram Nguyen

Panelists 

• Nathalie Boucher
• Ezra Anton Greene
• Ariane Benoît
• Paul Berger
• Wanda Gabriel
• Christopher Fletcher
• Nicole Ives
• Marika Morris
• Krista Ulujuk Zawadski
• Mark Stoller
• Mathilde Lapointe

Members of our research team served on a panel at the Inuit Studies Conference titled, “New Collaborations on Social Services, Supports and Wellness in Arctic Canada and Beyond: An Evolving Academic Field.”

Conference Program