Theses - Laidler (PhD dissertation)

Laidler, G. J. [PhD dissertation, 2007] Ice, Through Inuit     Eyes: Characterizing the importance of sea ice         processes, use, and change around three Nunavut communities (University of Toronto)

Abstract

Sea ice is an integral component of life in Inuit communities.  It has complex influences on economic, social, cultural, and subsistence activities.  Also, due to its influential role in regulating energy exchanges between the ocean and the atmosphere, sea ice is often used as an indicator of climate change in arctic regions.  Significant scientific research effort has been focused on determining the potential impacts of global climate change on arctic ice seasonal patterns.  Recently, interest in the impacts of climate change on arctic communities, and resulting societal adaptations, has emerged.  Sea ice is thus an essential component to include in vulnerability assessments designed to evaluate community-specific implications of climate change.  However, in order to undertake such an assessment, we must first understand Inuit characterizations of sea ice and the attributes of ice that most affect their livelihoods and lifestyles.  

Inuit have developed an intimate relationship with the sea ice and marine ecosystem through generations of observation and experience.  While they have long been able to harvest wildlife and forecast changes linked to ice conditions, little of this detailed knowledge has been documented to appropriately represent this expertise.  Therefore, working with Inuit sea ice experts in Cape Dorset, Igloolik, and Pangnirtung, Nunavut, this thesis characterizes the local importance of sea ice processes, use, and change.  Employing a collaborative research approach, a combination of participatory methods (i.e. semi-directed interviews, experiential sea ice trips, focus groups) were undertaken in four field seasons between 2003 and 2005.  Results from each community include descriptions of: i) freezing and melting processes; ii) the influences of winds and currents on sea ice; iii) sea ice uses for travel, hunting, and wildlife habitat; and, iv) observations of sea ice change.  These results facilitate a comparative regional analysis, with an emphasis on Inuktitut terminology and implications of a changing sea ice environment.  Experiences in a cross-cultural, community-based, collaborative research setting also enable an evaluation of the effectiveness of the research approach.  This thesis lays the foundation for knowledge-sharing between Inuit and scientists.  It is a starting point for attempts to link local and scientific knowledge in a complementary manner.

Funding

This research was generously supported with funding from:

1. •ArcticNet (Theme 4.2)
   

2. •Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies (Canadian Polar Commission Scholarship)
   

3. •Cyrosphere System in Canada
   

4. •Northern Ecosystem Initiative
   

5. •Northern Scientific Training Program
   

6. •Ocean Management Research Network (Integrated Management Node)
   

7. •Ontario Graduate Scholarship
   

8. •Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship
   

9. •Society of Women Geographers (Evelyn L. Pruitt National Fellowship for Dissertation Research)
   

10. •University of Toronto, Department of Geography
    

I am also grateful for ongoing help and collaboration from:

1. •Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Network
   

2. •Canadian Ice Service
   

3. •Cape Dorset, Nunavut
   

4. • Carleton University (Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology)
   

5. •Department of Fisheries and Oceans
   

6. •Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment
   

7. •Global Environmental Change Group, University of Guelph
   

8. • Igloolik, Nunavut
   

9. •Inuit Heritage Trust
   

10. •Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
    

11. •Nunavut Arctic College
    

12. •Nunavut Research Institute
    

13. •Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
    

14. •Pangnirtung, Nunavut
    

15. •Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board (Nunavut Wildlife Management Board)
    

16. •Qikiqtani Inuit Association
    

17. •Universite Laval (CIERA)
    

Download Thesis

1. ‣Abstract and Table of Contents
   

2. ‣Chp 1 - Introduction: Learning about ice through Inuit eyes
   

3. ‣Chp 2 - Literature Review: Inuit and scientific perspectives on sea ice, a starting point
   

4. ‣Chp 3 - Methods: Undertaking cross-cultural,collaborative, community-based research
   

5. ‣Chp 4 - Results: The importance of sea ice processes, use, and change around Cape Dorset
   

6. ‣Chp 5 - Results: The importance of sea ice processes, use, and change around Igloolik
   

7. ‣Chp 6 - Results: The importance of sea ice processes, use, and change around Pangnirtung
   

8. ‣Chp 7 - Analysis: Inter-community comparison of sea ice processes, use, and change
   

9. ‣Chp 8 - Analysis: Linking Inuit and scientific sea ice expertise
   

10. ‣Chp 9 - Conclusions: Moving forward
    

11. ‣Bibliography
    

12. ‣Appendices
    

13. ‣Addendum