EU - Sámi Relations: Strategic Narrative Analysis of the EU and the Sámi People in Light of Green Colonialism, Consultation, and Inclusion in Decision-Making Processes

Författare

Kristin Häsler

Summary, in English

The Sámi people are the only recognised Indigenous people in Europe. Historically, they have not only been oppressed and colonialised, but also not been as included in, or consulted on decision-making processes by the governments of the countries they live in. The European Union is seen as a trailblazer for human rights and equality, in addition to being a determined actor within the green energy transition. The latter is partially implemented through green energy developments and critical raw material extractions in northern Scandinavia – or Sápmi, the land of the Sámi. In this context, this thesis examines the EU-Sámi relationship, based on the narratives that both actors portray, conjointly in relation to a lack of research on this particular relationship. Through the development of a theoretical framework with influences from colonial and postcolonial scholarship, strategic narratives, and the decent consultation hierarchy, the aim of this thesis is to better understand the dynamics of and influences on the EU-Sámi relationship. The method used for this is a narrative analysis inspired by the work of Miskimmon et al. and Labov.
The study reveals that there are two main aspects that overshadow the relationship, one related to colonial legacies and the postcolonial system in which the EU and the Sámi exist, and the second aspect related to climate change and the connected green energy transition. Furthermore, while both actors’ narratives stray away from each other in a number of areas, they perhaps most importantly align when it comes to the willingness and determination to have the Sámi people participate in decision-making processes and to consult them on matters of importance.

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