InfraNorth: Building Arctic Futures

▶️ #InfraNorth researcher Philipp Budka delivered the social sciences keynote at the International Digital Security Forum #IDSF2025 in Vienna. He reflected on past and ongoing research, linking questions around #sovereignty and (digital) #infrastructure. The talk is now available to watch online! 👇

@zalifung.bsky.social 🙌 We’re really looking forward to your presentation and meeting you in Vienna this September!

Conference program - Beyond Infrastructure? (Un-)built Environments in the Anthropocene - InfraNorth The conference will open on Monday, September 22, 2025, with a keynote lecture by Alessandro Rippa (University of Oslo), titled Anthropocene Landscapes? Or, a Renewed Anthropology of Infrastructure fo...

📢 We are excited to announce the preliminary program for the conference “𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲? (𝗨𝗻-)𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲”!

🌍 Join us at the University of Vienna (@univie.ac.at), Sept 22–24, for an interdisciplinary dialogue on #infrastructure #research.

🎫 Early bird ends July 6!

✨ Ria-Maria Adams, #InfraNorth researcher at @univie.ac.at, reflects on (and shares impressions from) her experience at the #EdgeNet workshop on #peripheries research at @umeauniversitet.bsky.social 👇

🏗️✈️ What role can #comparison play in the #anthropology of #infrastructures? Some insights from the panel chaired by @riaadams.bsky.social at the #FAC2025 Finnish #Anthropology conference in Helsinki @helsinki.fi @univie.ac.at #InfraNorth

#InfraNorth researcher @riaadams.bsky.social is in Helsinki, taking part in the #FAC2025 Finnish Anthropology conference, where she presented a paper and chaired the panel “Rethinking #Infrastructure through Comparative Lenses.” @univie.ac.at #UHel

🔗 Learn more: infranorth.eu/news/jun-17-...

New article in Visual Anthropology: “Framing Multipolar Tourism: Imaginaries, Visualities and Futures” by Jolynna Sinanan, Ria-Maria Adams and Philipp Budka (2025)- InfraNorth The peer-reviewed academic journal Visual Anthropology has just published the article “Framing Multipolar Tourism: Imaginaries, Visualities and Futures,” written jointly by Jolynna Sinanan (University...

📸🌌 How do imaginaries of remote, climate-vulnerable places emerge through #tourism #infrastructures?

📝 Visual #Anthropology: “Framing Multipolar Tourism: Imaginaries, Visualities and Futures” by J. Sinanan (@manchester.ac.uk), @riaadams.bsky.social & @philbu.bsky.social of @univie.ac.at #InfraNorth

Photographers capturing images of a polar bear in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Photo by Philipp Budka.

New publication:

"Framing multipolar #tourism: Imaginaries, #visualities & #futures" by J. Sinanan, @riaadams.bsky.social & myself published in Visual #Anthropology

doi.org/10.1080/0894...

@infranortherc.bsky.social @univie.ac.at
@manchester.ac.uk‬

May 28, 2025: Le Nunavoix Features Research by Katrin Schmid - InfraNorth A recent article written by journalist Karine Lavoie for Le Nunavoix, a French-language community newspaper published in Nunavut, reports on the recent visit of InfraNorth researcher Katrin Schmid to ...

#LeNunavoix, a French-language newspaper in #Nunavut, features Katrin Schmid’s research (based on 170 interviews in five Qikiqtani communities) on the link between #transport #infrastructure and #food #sovereignty, and how this relationship shapes Nunavut’s future.
#FrCan #InfraNorth @univie.ac.at

Jun 17, 2025: Panel and Presentation by Ria-Maria Adams at the Finnish Anthropological Society Conference 2025 - InfraNorth InfraNorth researcher Ria-Maria Adams will be convening a panel and presenting a paper at the 2025 Biennial Conference of the Finnish Anthropological Society in Helsinki. This year’s conference, which...

📅 Next week, on June 17, #InfraNorth researcher Ria-Maria Adams will present a paper and chair the session “Rethinking #Infrastructure through Comparative Lenses: Climate, Environment, and Cultures in Transformation” at the #Finnish #Anthropological Society Conference 2025! @riaadams.bsky.social

Philipp Budka delivers the keynote address for the Social Sciences Track at the International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) 2025. His talk was titled “Community-Led Digital Sovereignty: Insights and Lessons from an Indigenous Initiative in Remote Canada.”

Philipp Budka delivers the keynote address for the Social Sciences Track at the International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) 2025. His talk was titled “Community-Led Digital Sovereignty: Insights and Lessons from an Indigenous Initiative in Remote Canada.”

🛰️📡 Yesterday, #InfraNorth researcher Philipp Budka gave the keynote address for the Social Sciences Track at the #IDSF2025 Forum in Vienna! He reflected on past and current research connecting questions of #sovereignty with (digital) #infrastructure. @philbu.bsky.social @univie.ac.at

Plenty of Land, Nowhere to Live: Housing as a Limited Resource in Arctic Communities - InfraNorth By Ria-Maria Adams and Katrin Schmid At first glance, northern Sweden’s Malmfälten region and Nunavut in Arctic Canada might seem worlds apart. While the Malmfälten region is defined by a few centrali...

🏠 Plenty of land, but nowhere to live in the #Arctic?

📝 New #InfraNorth blog post! Ria-Maria Adams & Katrin Schmid explore #housing in Sweden’s #Malmfälten and Canada’s #Nunavut. Despite differences, shared challenges highlight the role of transport infrastructure—and more. @riaadams.bsky.social

While road #infrastructure is important for #remote towns, air connectivity is vital for #Arctic communities like #Vardø. #Widerøe’s small planes operate on ‘milk run’ routes—making short, essential stops at multiple towns. Four of us got off last week from a full flight. @infranortherc.bsky.social

Jun 5, 2025: Keynote Speech by Philipp Budka at the IDSF 2025 Social-Science Track - InfraNorth InfraNorth researcher Philipp Budka will deliver the keynote address for the Social Science Track at the International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) 2025, held under the theme “Sovereignty and Solidar...

#InfraNorth researcher Philipp Budka (@philbu.bsky.social) will be the keynote speaker of the Social Science Track at #IDSF2025!

Don’t miss his talk: “Community-Led Digital Sovereignty: Insights and Lessons from an Indigenous Initiative in Remote Canada”

🗓️ June 5, 10:00 CEST
📍 MuseumsQuartier Wien

Community talk by Philipp Budka at the Theatre of the Town Complex in Churchill, Manitoba. Photo by Claudia Grill (2025).

Promotional poster for the community talk by Philipp Budka in Churchill, Manitoba. Photo by Philipp Budka (2025).

Arriving at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg, before Philipp Budka’s public presentation. Photo by Philipp Budka (2025).

Public presentation by Philipp Budka at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg. Photo by Roland Sawatzky (2025).

How does transport #infrastructure shape life, sovereignty & sustainability in northern #Manitoba?

#InfraNorth researcher Philipp Budka (philbu.bsky.social) shared insights from his multi-year ethnographic study in #Churchill & Winnipeg—you can now read the report:

🔗 infranorth.eu/wp-content/u...

Manitoba Housing buildings in Churchill, Manitoba: the largest provider of rental and social housing in the community. Photo by Philipp Budka (2025).

A Tundra Buggy in Churchill, Manitoba: an iconic all-terrain vehicle designed for safely viewing polar bears in their natural habitat. Photo by Philipp Budka (2025).

Caribou Hall in Churchill, a key venue for local events and a hub of community life. Photo by Philipp Budka (2025).

View of the frozen Hudson Bay from inside Churchill’s Town Complex, with the Beluga Boat visible through the window. Photo by Philipp Budka (2025).

Philipp Budka (philbu.bsky.social) recently wrapped up his final field trip for #InfraNorth in northern #Manitoba. In #Churchill, residents highlighted key concerns:

🔹 Port of Churchill’s future & possible 2nd Hudson Bay port
🔹 Economic shifts due to climate change
🔹 Housing access & affordability

Tapasin kemijärveläisnuoria, ja yllätyin – nuorten mielestä kotikaupungista ei puutu mitään muuta kuin opiskelupaikka Tapasin kemijärveläisnuoria, ja yllätyin. Nuorten mielestä kotikaupungista ei puutu mitään muuta kuin opiskelupaikka.

🗞️Great column by Anna Ruohalainen in #LapinKansa on shifting #youth perceptions of their #rural hometowns - after years of pessimistic views dominating the discourse, a more hopeful view is emerging. Honoured to see results of my dissertation mentioned too 🫶🏼
www.lapinkansa.fi/tapasin-kemi...

Isolation and Infrastructural Hope: The Shifting Landscape of Air Travel in Greenland - InfraNorth By Sophie Elixhauser and Susan Vanek 3D animation video providing an overview of the construction process and the features of the new Nuuk International Airport. Source: Nuuk Mittarfik (2023). 3D anim...

✈️ Air travel in #Greenland reveals regional inequalities. In this #InfraNorth blog post, S. Elixhauser & S. Vanek explore how plans for a new airport in #Tasiilaq reflect the hopes and social trade-offs of infrastructure development in remote regions of the #Arctic.

🔗 infranorth.eu/blog/isolati...

📢 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹! The extended deadline to submit your proposals is next Monday April 21!

▶️ Don’t miss this video interview with Peter Schweitzer, principal investigator of #InfraNorth, as he reflects on his journey of anthropological research with Arctic communities, focusing on issues related to the built environment, mobility, remoteness, and the social impacts of climate change 👇

Do Arctic roads lead to war or peace? Peter Schweitzer came to the far north to study the Arctic’s transport infrastructure, but what he found was an increased number of militarised zones. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has left ...

📰 How does transport infrastructure shape life in a changing #Arctic? Peter Schweitzer, principal investigator of #InfraNorth, shares his journey and insights from years of fieldwork in this interview with Rudolphina Magazine by @univie.ac.at. Check it out!

🔗 rudolphina.univie.ac.at/en/do-arctic...

Flyer of public talk by Philipp Budka @ Manitoba Museum. Flyer by Manitoba Museum.

I'll be giving a public talk about my research on #transport #infrastructure in northern #Manitoba on April 16th, 12-1pm, @manitobamuseum.bsky.social.

If you're in Winnipeg, stop by! Admission is free.

manitobamuseum.ca/event/infras...

Call for Papers “Beyond Infrastructure? (Un-)built Environments in the Anthropocene” - InfraNorth International Conference, September 22 - 24, 2025, at the University of Vienna. Extended deadline for submissions: April 21, 2025. Infrastructure is often seen as solid, fixed, and inevitable while sh...

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

In response to several requests, we have extended our #CfP deadline. Thanks to those who have already submitted and, if you haven’t done so yet, there’s still time—we look forward to your proposals!

🔗 infranorth.eu/news/call-fo... @univie.ac.at

🙌🏼Yesterday was so special - first, teaching a class together with amazing 💫 @gretegans.bsky.social, followed by an invited talk about our @infranortherc.bsky.social research results on #Arctic tourism #infrastructures at the department brown bag session at the #UniversityofWyoming 🏫

Submit your proposals until this Sunday, April 6! We look forward to your contributions!

Leaving #ASSW2025 with fresh insights on #Arctic infrastructure issues. @colorado.edu provided a great venue to foster collaboration and rethink our work with local communities 🏞️🏗️ Our work must be even more grounded in local knowledge and easily accessible to make a real difference. @infranorth

Apr 9, 2025: Community Talk by Philipp Budka in Churchill, Manitoba - InfraNorth On April 9, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM CDT (GMT-5), Philipp Budka will present a talk titled “Navigating Change: How Transport Infrastructure Shapes Life in Churchill” at the Theatre of the Town Centr...

📅 On April 9, #InfraNorth researcher Philipp Budka will be back in #Churchill, Canada, to share the results of his research on how #transport #infrastructures shape and are shaped by community life in northern #Manitoba.

@philbu.bsky.social @univie.ac.at

🔗 Learn more: infranorth.eu/news/apr-9-2...

Mar 20–28, 2025: InfraNorth at the Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 - InfraNorth InfraNorth researchers Peter Schweitzer, Olga Povoroznyuk, Alexandra Meyer, Ria-Maria Adams, and Susanna Gartler will participate in the Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 (ASSW) from 20 to 28 March 2025...

🚧🏗️❄️ Today at #ASSW2025, join our co-chaired session “The Challenges of Arctic Infrastructure”! We delve into the particular conditions of #Arctic #infrastructure, shaped by extreme climate, permafrost, and remoteness.

🔗 infranorth.eu/news/mar-20-...

RATIC Workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV,” co-chaired by Olga Povorozkyuk (University of Vienna), Vera Kuklina (George Washington University), and Howard Epstein (University of Virginia). Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Olga Povoroznyuk.

RATIC Workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV,” co-chaired by Olga Povorozkyuk (University of Vienna), Vera Kuklina (George Washington University), and Howard Epstein (University of Virginia). Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Olga Povoroznyuk.

RATIC Workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV,” co-chaired by Olga Povorozkyuk (University of Vienna), Vera Kuklina (George Washington University), and Howard Epstein (University of Virginia). Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Olga Povoroznyuk.

RATIC Workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV,” co-chaired by Olga Povorozkyuk (University of Vienna), Vera Kuklina (George Washington University), and Howard Epstein (University of Virginia). Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Olga Povoroznyuk.

❄️🏗️ The #RATIC workshop at #ICARPIV Summit reviewed a decade of progress and set research priorities for the next 10 years on #Arctic #infrastructure and its interactions with natural and social systems. #ASSW2025 #InfraNorth

🔗 infranorth.eu/news/mar-20-...

InfraNorth researcher Olga Povoroznyuk introduces the workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV” during Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Peter Schweitzer.

InfraNorth researchers Alexandra Meyer and Ria-Maria Adams participate in the workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV” during Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Olga Povoroznyuk.

InfraNorth principal investigator Peter Schweitzer presents at the workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV” during Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Photo by Olga Povoroznyuk.

Group picture of the workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research: A Contribution to ICARP IV” during Arctic Science Summit Week 2025 at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Yesterday at the #ICARPIV Summit, #InfraNorth researcher Olga Povoroznyuk co-chaired the workshop “Planning for the Next Decade in Arctic Infrastructure Research” as part of the IASC-funded #RATIC initiative, which featured presentations by some of our team members.

🔗 infranorth.eu/news/mar-20-...