Conceptualizing Sámi Communities: Sámi internationalism in local and global arenas 1971-1994

Global Research in Indigenous Studies & History (GRISH) welcomes Johan Kihlert for a presentation of his ongoing doctoral research project.

Johan's dissertation examines internationalism in Sámi political thought and activism between 1971 and 1993 through three interconnected case studies: the concept of the Fourth World; the Nordic Sámi Council’s campaign for representation within the Nordic Council; and the political concepts used by the Sámi youth organization Sáminuorra. Each case study investigates distinct yet overlapping dimensions of transnational networks, perspectives, and strategies. Together, they reveal how Sámi political actors engaged with multiple internationalisms in order to advance recognition of, and legitimacy for, a Sámi nation that overlaps with four nation-states.

An important contribution to previous research is that Sámi political engagements during this period should not be understood solely through the lens of the emerging global Indigenous movement, though this movement—especially the formation of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples—was a crucial arena in which Sámi actors played formative roles. Internationalist outlooks that positioned Sámi communities through other categories: as a minority, as a Nordic people, and as a colonized people were also important. These overlapping frameworks enabled Sámi activists to build alliances, articulate new forms of political belonging, and strategically adapt their claims across different political arenas.

By investigating these diverse forms of internationalism, this presentation highlights a previously underacknowledged dimension of Sámi political history and expands our understanding of how complex transnational connections fundamentally shaped Sámi political development in the late twentieth century.

Date and time: Wednesday 20 May 2026, 10:30-12:00

Location: Møterom Guovssu, Teorifagbygget Hus 2, 228 (Centre for Sámi Studies)

Digital attendance: For a streaming link, please contact Jonathan Crossen