Representations of Inuit people and issues in Canadian society, media and political institutions - Mathieu Landriault, Jean-François Savard & P. Whitney Lackenbauer

Popular symbols tied to Inuit people are abound in the Canadian imaginary, often represented in a folkloric way: igloos and inukshuk are iconic illustrations of this phenomenon.

Inuit people have been represented by well-known and active organizations such as the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK). Inuit individuals have also been outspoken and active participants in the national discussion on Northern and Arctic issues.

This nature of the Inuit presence in the public sphere have been the subject of significant scholarship. Their advocacy and framing of Arctic issues has been documented, on issues such as communicable diseases, climate change and food security.

Lesser attention has been devoted to the reception of this political messaging in Canadian society as a whole. We can find four possible audiences: Canadian government and political institutions (think Parliament), the Canadian media, Canadian public opinion and Canadian popular culture.

This workshop has for purpose to investigate how Canadian society and governments depict and represent Inuit people and culture. Areas of interest include but are not limited to:

- Coverage of Inuit issues in the Canadian media (both traditional and social media);

- Depictions of Inuit in policy documents

- Descriptions of Inuit people and culture in the communications of elected representatives

- Framing of Inuit in popular culture such as movies, or documentaries.

- Focalization on specific initiatives such as the Canadian Rangers

- Analysis of Inuit organizations’ communications

- Comparison with other societies with Inuit population (Denmark, United States) or global actors (global media, international organizations).