The round-table discussion, led by Karla Williamson from Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), and her daughter, Laakkuluk Williamson from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., will address such questions as: What are the obligations of northern researchers to the land and the people of the north?
Are these obligations currently being fulfilled? and What should be done to improve the fulfillment of these obligations?
The format of this session will be more interactive and the goal is to encourage students to participate and share their thoughts and ideas. The participants will then share the information learned in the round-table discussion by writing a formal letter to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development detailing the issues and concerns that will have arised from this discussion. The session will be recorded onto digital format and converted into text, which will be made available to the session participants.
The conference organizers are looking for eight to ten Canadian northern students, representing all three Canadian territories, to participate in the session. The session has been sponsored by the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation. Travel and accommodation will be provided for all students participating in this session.
On the theme of Melting Boundaries: Accomplishing Effective Research in the Circumpolar World, the 8th ACUNS Student Conference on Northern Studies will address human and environmental research from an interdisciplinary perspective. The objective of the conference will be to bring emerging scholars together to gain a broader understanding of research and experiences that span geographic, scientific, cultural and political boundaries.
Organizers are currently seeking nomination of eligible students to participant in the special session. Please contact Alexis Schafer (alexis.schafer@usask.ca) to nominate a northern student.
See the full session announcement here