Publications
Doseganje konkurenčne kreativno-trajnostne gastronomske destinacije
Modern gastronomic destinations must blend local culinary traditions, creativity, and sustainability to remain competitive in the evolving tourism landscape. This study highlights that successful destinations integrate high-quality services, digital innovation, and community involvement, catering to tourists' growing demand for authenticity, local experiences, and responsible practices. By analyzing global best practices—such as Saudi Arabia's gastronomic offerings, artisan crafts in Lapland, Thailand, and Brazil, and the role of creative workshops—researchers demonstrate how destinations can achieve a balance between cultural preservation, economic growth, and environmental stewardship. The findings underscore the shift from mass tourism to niche, experience-driven travel, where gastronomy serves as a bridge between heritage, identity, and sustainable development.
Rights of Nature, Laponia, and New Zealand
Granting legal personhood to nature, such as the Laponia World Heritage Site in northern Sweden, could significantly enhance existing protections for its natural and cultural heritage. Current legal frameworks in Laponia lack explicit rights or personhood for the landscape itself, despite robust safeguards. This study applies a Legalist account of nature's personhood to Arctic contexts, demonstrating how such recognition could strengthen environmental governance. By analyzing present legal regimes, it identifies gaps where personhood rights may provide more effective protection, offering a model for balancing ecological and cultural preservation.
The Rights and Personhood of Laponia
Granting Laponia full legal personhood could introduce new, tailored rights that better protect its unique ecological and cultural attributes. This study demonstrates how such a Legalist framework strengthens the theoretical foundation for Laponia's rights compared to Realist approaches, potentially unlocking more effective legal protections. The research builds on previous work by examining the implications of personhood rather than just legal protections, offering a novel perspective on how nature's rights can be adapted to specific regions.
Landscape pedagogy for environmental and outdoor educators
A novel approach to environmental and outdoor education, termed 'landscape pedagogy,' is proposed as a means to foster deeper connections between humans and nonhuman nature. This framework leverages the metaphor of fabric to illustrate the interconnectedness of human and natural systems, using Laponia's landscape as a living example. The concept emphasizes relational and responsive practices that encourage a sense of belonging and responsibility within the natural world. By integrating these principles into educational strategies, the study aims to address the growing disconnect between people and nature, ultimately guiding toward more sustainable futures.
Prendre le parti du paysage… et le point de vue des mousses
A groundbreaking research project aims to bridge the landscapes of Finnish Lapland and Chilean Patagonia through the creation of a connected moss garden by 2026. This innovative initiative, led by the Collectif de jardinage critique, explores the subpolar environments from the perspective of mosses, offering a unique ecological and poetic lens. By drawing parallels with Francis Ponge's poetic work 'Le parti pris des choses,' the project seeks to understand these landscapes as experienced by mosses, challenging conventional human-centric views. The approach combines scientific inquiry with creative expression, utilizing interdisciplinary methods to interpret the 'Umwelt' or lived world of mosses in extreme environments.
Environmental concerns in nature-based events: the permit process for organised outdoor recreation and sport
A study analyzing permit documents from Jämtland, Sweden (2011–2020) reveals that environmental concerns rarely lead to rejections of nature-based events, despite the region's ecologically sensitive alpine and subarctic landscapes. Instead, approvals prioritize local development and economic gains, commercializing nature for tourism and recreation. This suggests a need for integrating permit processes into spatial planning to better balance ecological protection with human use.
Protection of Biocultural Heritage in the Anthropocene: Towards Reconciling Natural, Cultural, Tangible and Intangible Heritage
A groundbreaking approach to heritage conservation, recognizing biocultural heritage and Indigenous rights under the 1972 World Heritage Convention (WHC), can foster environmental justice and address global challenges. The study highlights conflicts in Kenya and Sweden, demonstrating that integrating biocultural perspectives strengthens sustainability efforts. It recommends expanding protection for human-environment relationships and advocates for deeper Indigenous involvement to enhance the WHC's effectiveness as it marks its 50th anniversary. This framework could also contribute to climate change mitigation by safeguarding both cultural and natural heritage.
Threat Perception and Adaptive Capacity of Natural World Heritage Site Management
Climate change and extreme weather events are perceived as the most significant threats to natural and mixed World Heritage sites in economically advanced countries, with tropical climates and previously endangered sites facing higher risks. Management capacity is notably lower for climate-related threats compared to others, despite larger and more natural areas demonstrating stronger adaptive capabilities. This study analyzed data from UNESCO's 2014 Periodic Report II using an Ordered Probit model, revealing that perceptions of major threats are most pronounced in Turkey, Italy, Norway, and North America. The research highlights the urgent need for enhanced strategies to address climate-related vulnerabilities in World Heritage site management.
Brown bear predation on semi-domesticated reindeer and depredation compensations
Brown bear predation on semi-domesticated reindeer significantly impacts the economy of Sámi herding communities, with bears killing 10.2 calves per individual during calving season, accounting for 39–62% of calf mortality. The study, conducted in northern Sweden (2010–2012), tracked 21 GPS-collared bears and ~2500 reindeer to quantify predation patterns and economic losses. Bear kill rates increased with time spent in calving areas but varied by individual and reproductive status. Annual losses were estimated at €50,000–€62,000 per herding group, yet current compensation schemes only reimbursed ~2% of this loss, highlighting the inefficiency of area-based compensation models.
Differing perceptions and tensions among tourists and locals concerning a national park region in Norway
A study on the Laponian Area reveals that while tourists often perceive national park regions as untouched wilderness, locals associate authenticity with deep cultural traditions and a long-standing bond between people and landscape. Both groups share a desire to preserve wildlife and natural features, suggesting that authenticity could serve as a unifying concept for sustainable tourism and local development. The research used mixed methods—including focus groups, interviews, on-site surveys, and internet surveys—to explore these differing perceptions. Engaging tourists in understanding the historical and contemporary livelihoods of local communities may enrich their experiences without undermining locals' views on authenticity.
La biopolítica del desarrollo turístico del Ártico y la sostenibilidad
Recent tourism development in the Arctic, particularly through 'arctification,' has created simplified and strategically essentialized images of the region that serve as powerful branding tools. This study reveals how such arctified visions function as heterotopic spaces—exceptions based on alterity (otherness) and sustainability compensation—challenging conventional notions of sustainability in Arctic tourism. By analyzing three dimensions—exogenous tourist development, territorialization, and a consumptive ethics of planetary care—the research applies biopolitical and Foucaultian frameworks to expose the paradoxes of sustainable growth in Lapland, Finland. The findings underscore how arctification both distances and compensates, shaping contemporary tourism dynamics while raising critical questions about authenticity, sustainability, and governance.
La biopolitique du développement et de la durabilité du tourisme arctique
Recent tourism marketing in the Arctic has perpetuated 'arctification,' a process of spatial simplification and essentialization that frames the region as exotic and pristine. This study deconstructs arctification through three dimensions: exogenous tourism development, territorialization, and an ethic of planetary care. By applying biopolitical and heterotopic perspectives, it reveals how these practices create spaces of exception, marked by deviation and compensation, while highlighting paradoxes in sustainability efforts. The analysis uses Finland's Lapland as a case study to expose the tensions between tourism growth and environmental stewardship, offering a critical framework for understanding contemporary Arctic tourism dynamics.
The ethics and politics of world heritage: local application at the site of Laponia
A critical analysis reveals that the cosmopolitan protection logic of UNESCO World Heritage (WH) sites, while intending to promote universal values, can inadvertently suppress local disputes and marginalized voices. Focusing on Laponia—a Swedish WH site with Sami indigenous communities and active mining—research demonstrates inconsistencies between Sweden's global advocacy for human rights and its domestic support for mining, which threatens the cultural heritage and land rights of the Sami people. The study employs narrative analysis to expose these tensions, contrasting Sweden's 'good state' narrative with rarely heard Sami perspectives. This work contributes to understanding how indigenous peoples can assert their claims within the prevailing cosmopolitan framework of WH protection.
Komunikacja językowa w osiemnastowiecznych francuskich wyprawach naukowych do Laponii, Peru i Afryki Południowej
French scientific expeditions of the 18th century to Lappland, Peru, and South Africa revealed that interlingual communication was highly dependent on local linguistic landscapes. Maupertuis relied on bilingual Swedish and Laponian assistants during his geodesic mission (1734–1735), while La Condamine and Le Vaillant sought to eliminate interpreter mediation by learning Spanish, Quechua, Hottentot, and Namaqua languages. In linguistically fragmented regions, expeditions often depended on ad-hoc natural interpreters or leveraged local familiarity with European colonial languages (Spanish, Dutch) and French—the dominant language of scientific discourse at the time. This study analyzes expedition narratives to reconstruct communication strategies, highlighting the role of multilingualism in facilitating cross-cultural scientific exchange during this period.
Contrasting views on co-management of indigenous natural and cultural heritage – Case of Laponia World Heritage site, Sweden
A unique co-management model for the Laponia World Heritage site, led by Sami representatives, reveals both progress and persistent challenges. This model, established in 2011, marked a significant shift from Sweden's national management system by granting majority influence to indigenous Sami people in decision-making processes, including chairing the steering board. However, the study identifies four key narratives—nature, indigenous governance, economic impact, and local community—that highlight ongoing tensions, particularly related to colonial legacies that continue to impede Sami demands for greater control over land management.
Mobilisations de la nature en territoires autochtones : Comparaison entre le Sápmi (Suède) et Eeyou Istchee (Québec, Canada)
Indigenous-led reconfigurations of power in northern protected areas challenge traditional conservation models. This study reveals how Samis and Cree peoples in Sápmi (Sweden) and Eeyou Istchee (Quebec, Canada) are reshaping governance structures within UNESCO-recognized Laponia and the proposed Assinica National Park. Through comparative analysis of two case studies, it exposes the hidden dynamics of decolonization processes, where Indigenous values increasingly influence environmental management despite persistent colonial legacies. The research employs critical discourse analysis to uncover power shifts in co-management frameworks, offering insights into emerging governance models that prioritize Indigenous knowledge and territorial sovereignty.
Music, mining and colonisation: Sámi contestations of Sweden’s self-narrative
Sámi musician Sofia Jannok’s decolonial music challenges Sweden’s marginalization of its colonial history in Sápmi, exposing tensions between reindeer herding communities, mining interests, and the state. The study reveals how her narrative and musical expression intersect with political discourse, offering a counterpoint to Sweden’s self-narrative that downplays Sámi subordination. By analyzing Jannok’s work through dual lenses—personal narrative and discursive markers—the research demonstrates music as a powerful tool for contesting colonial legacies and reshaping national identity.
What are wilderness areas for? Tourism and political ecologies of wilderness uses and management in the Anthropocene
Wilderness areas, often perceived as untouched remnants of 'original' nature, are in reality deeply intertwined with human-environment interactions and political ecologies. This study challenges the Western hegemonic view of wilderness as a pristine, uninhabited space by examining its cultural and administrative significance, particularly in the context of tourism and management practices in the Finnish Wilderness system. Using a political ecology approach, the research reveals that wilderness is not only a product of human influence but also a contested concept with diverse local meanings and use values. The study highlights how adventure tourism has reshaped perceptions and priorities for wilderness conservation, underscoring the need to reconcile global imaginaries with local realities in sustainable management strategies.
Wilderness and Culture: Tourist Views and Experiences in the Laponian World Heritage Area
Tourists perceive the Laponian World Heritage Area as a pristine wilderness characterized by untouched nature, wild animals, and minimal human influence, even while acknowledging its use for Sami reindeer herding practices and tourism development. This study reveals that tourists do not view these uses as contradictory, highlighting a nuanced understanding of wilderness that balances natural preservation with cultural and economic activities. To explore these perceptions, researchers surveyed tourists about their views on landscape and the concept of wilderness, providing insights into how people interpret and experience protected areas in northern Sweden.
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