Mining, social justice, culture and environmental risk in the Kivalliq region, Nunavut: women’s approaches and perspectives to fairness - Jasmiini Pylkkänen

closure – are connected to many social and environmental issues in the North, particularly in the Kivalliq communities in Nunavut. Past developments and experiences influence today’s realities. The history of the North Rankin Nickle Mine and Meadowbank, Amaruq and Meliadine mines tell us that Rankin Inlet is a place where mining, social justice, culture and environment all seem somehow interconnected. This presentation is based on research that seeks to understand Kivalliq women’s changing approaches to fairness. In the past there have been many studies on mining and its impacts, but typically more men than women have been interviewed for those studies. This study focuses on women’s perspectives. What do Kivalliq women think about the connections between mining, social justice, culture and environmental risk? How are women dealing with these matters in their everyday lives? Why do certain practices of distributing risks and benefits of mining a feel fair while other practices do not? The presentation is based on fieldwork (participant observations, 50 semi-structured qualitative interviews, and numerous informal discussions) conducted in Rankin Inlet, NU in 2018-2019