The IMPART project studies majority-based political parties as arenas for Indigenous political activism, through the case of the Sámi people in Norway and Sweden. IMPART has a particular focus on the impact of Indigenous activism on parties’ policies toward the conflict between expanding «green» industries and traditional Indigenous nature-based industries.
The IMPART project studies mechanisms and practices for interaction between Indigenous political activists and majority-based political parties, by looking at the case of the Sámi people in Norway and Sweden. IMPART also has a particular focus on the impact of Indigenous activism on parties’ policies toward the conflict between expanding «green» industries and traditional Indigenous nature-based industries.
Why and how do Indigenous political activists attempt to influence majority-based parties? What different models and practices exist for Indigenous inclusion in party life or for parties’ communication with Indigenous voices? Why do some parties create Indigenous representation mechanisms, while others do not? Does Indigenous activity towards majority-based parties affect their "green shift" policies, and if so – how?
More about the project
Comparison of Norway and Sweden
IMPART compares two of the states that have partitioned Sápmi and the Sámi people: Norway and Sweden. These have similar models for Indigenous representation - elected Indigenous assemblies, Sámediggis, but the dynamics between Indigenous people and majority-based parties are nevertheless very different. There are also notable differences between the parties in Norway that have established channels for Indigenous voices.
How did these differences come to be, and how do different mechanisms and practices perform? Can majority-based parties serve as channels for Indigenous empowerment, or are they more likely to perform mere symbolic inclusion, or even cooptation? How do the different approaches to party politics in Sweden and Norway affect the relationship between the states and the Sámediggi assemblies?
The project is carried out by
The project is led from NIBR-OsloMet and has a group of researchers that consist of (alphabetically) senior researcher Mikkel Berg-Nordlie (project leader, NIBR-OsloMet), researcher Anna Maria Fjellström (INSARC), assistant professor Ragnhild Nilsson (Mid Sweden University), and research professor Jo Saglie (ISF).
Project manager
External project participants
- Researcher Anna Maria Fjellström (INSARC)
- Assistant Professor Ragnhild Nilsson (Mid Sweden University)
- Research Professor Jo Saglie (ISF)
