With focus on indigenous people’s involvement in international politics

Originally from Nothern Canada, Luke’s first visit to Umeå University was as an exchange student for a semester in the autumn 2016. He completed his bachelor’s degree at MacEwan University in Canada and later finished his master studies in International and European Relations at Linköping University. Since 2020, Luke is a doctoral student at the Department of Language Studies.

– I go where it’s cold!

I am motivated by being able to do research which adds a political perspective to a people that has had continually to fight to defend their rights and their traditional ways of life.

Luke’s research area as a Phd student is Sami studies, focusing on indigenous politics and Arctic relations.

– My research concentrates on indigenous political organisations, such as the Saami council, and how indigenous people are involved in decision-making processes on a national and international level.

– I am motivated by being able to do research which adds a political perspective to a people that has had continually to fight to defend their rights and their traditional ways of life.

Introduced to the Sami culture during his exchange studies

Luke was born in Northern Canada and his interest of studies during his bachelor and master’s degree was in Political Science. That his doctoral studies would focus specifically on Sami studies was a bit unexpected.

– My background is in Political Science, but Sami studies is a varied topic, ranging from linguistics to history to what I do today. I am from Northern Canada, and I was raised with an indigenous perspective through the work my father did with the local Cree. I was an exchange student at Umeå University in 2016 where I was introduced to the Sami culture, which eventually led me here.

Sustainability from a political perspective important for indigenous peoples

From a political perspective, sustainability is important, in the sense that policies need to be put into place that will benefit others well into the future.

– The Sami, like many indigenous peoples, have to take a long view of things and look at how life will be for further generations. This is because often the work Sami politicians and activists do now will not have an effect until they are retired or gone. The fact we are facing a climate crisis is because previous governments and policymakers did not have this perspective. So, I believe that sustainable policy from the perspective of later generations is critically important to tackle climate change. Not just for this generation, but for the next three or four.

Luke is affiliated to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities research school FADC which provides courses he believes is good at bringing doctoral students together.

– I started during the pandemic which was challenging because all major courses were taught online. But through the FADC and my supervisor, I now have links to other departments at the faculty.

Article on the Arctic Institute

In September 2022, Luke published an article on the Arctic Institute:

Brussels Looks North: The European Union’s Latest Arctic Policy and the Potential for ‘Green’ Colonialism