Indigenous perspectives
As home to Indigenous communities such as the Sámi people in Sápmi and the Inuit population in Greenland, the Nordic region has an obligation to ensure that Indigenous voices are included in academic and societal discourse. NordForsk supports several initiatives that actively incorporate Indigenous perspectives.
Developing Nordic Guidelines for Research Involving Indigenous Peoples
Globally, various guidelines and roadmaps have been developed to support researchers working with Indigenous peoples and to empower Indigenous communities by raising awareness of their rights as research participants. Such frameworks are essential for promoting Indigenous self-determination in knowledge production.
However, in the Nordic countries, there is currently a lack of common ethical guidelines and tools for conducting research involving Indigenous peoples. To address this gap, NordForsk has established a Nordic working group tasked with developing shared ethical guidelines for this purpose.
The working group includes members from Nordic academic institutions engaged in Indigenous research, as well as representatives from the Saami Council. The final version of the Nordic Guidelines for Research Involving Indigenous Peoples is expected to be completed by June 2026.
Members of the Nordic working group
Christina Storm Mienn, Umeå University
Sanna Valkonen, University of Lapland
Torjer Andreas Olsen, University of the Arctic
Rune Fjellheim, Saami Council
Solveig Joks, Sámi University of Applied Sciences
Tove Synnøve Mentsen Ness, Nord University
Sigga-Marja Magga, University of Oulu
Steinar Pedersen, NordForsk, Chair
In 2025, NordForsk announced funding for a project that will produce a report to support the formulation of the Nordic guidelines for research involving Indigenous people.
Research networks
Three networks promote knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and collaboration between researchers working with Indigenous perspectives. The networks covers different themes – ranging from language education, indigenous indigenous knowledge-through making and gendered violence.
Making knowledge for sustainable transformations (MAST)
Network aiming to create a rigorous, creative and respectful space for safe exchange and capacity building across Indigenous and non-Indigenous well-established Nordic academic institutions.
Nordic Network on Gendered Violence in Sámi and Inuit Communities
Network aiming to to establish, strengthen and further develop the Nordic research community on gendered violence in Sámi and Inuit communities.
Network to Support Research and Teaching of Small Saami Languages (SAMLA)
Network working in support of research and revitalization of small Saami languages, in the intersection between language research and language education.
Other initiatives with Indigenous perspectives
Promoting Healthy Aging of Sámi and Inuit Elders Through Co-Designed Digital Health Tool
Project aiming to promote sustainable health and wellbeing in elderly Sámi and Inuit population in Norway, Sweden, and Greenland by developing culturally tailored digital health tools in Indigenous and Scandinavian languages.
Sámi democratic engagement in the energy transition: advancing justice, legitimacy and participatory governance (SAPMIDEM)
Interdisciplinary and community-driven project investigating Sámi democratic participation as a crucial element for the legitimacy of the energy transition in Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
Transformative environmental justice (EnJUSTICE)
Project aspiring to bring the voices of excluded/marginalized communities (including Indigenous and grassroots local communities) in Greenland, Lithuania, and Sápmi into the Nordic-Baltic green transition strategy debate.
Indigenous Leadership in Research
NordForsk and UiT The Arctic University of Norway hosted a side event at Arctic Frontiers 2025 on Indigenous Leadership in Research.
Featured articles
Call for proposals: Indigenous guidelines for NordForsk
NordForsk announces funding for a project that will produce a report to support the formulation of the Nordic guidelines for research involving Indigenous people.
New networks to strengthen Indigenous perspectives in research
NordForsk has decided to fund three networks for indigenous research in the Nordic region. The themes of the networks are Indigenous knowledge collaboration, research and teaching in small Sámi languages, and gender-based violence.
