Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the Kemijoki
The stark discharge variations on the Kemijoki, the longest river in Finnish Lapland, have long formed an integral part of the rhythmic dynamics of social and ecological life along its banks. With the spread of permanent infrastructure and activities, however, the annual spring-flood is increasingly...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Geographical Society of Northern Finland
2012-12-01
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| Series: | Nordia Geographical Publications |
| Online Access: | https://nordia.journal.fi/article/view/66052 |
| _version_ | 1819227329735426048 |
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| author | Franz Krause |
| author_facet | Franz Krause |
| author_sort | Franz Krause |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The stark discharge variations on the Kemijoki, the longest river in Finnish Lapland, have long formed an integral part of the rhythmic dynamics of social and ecological life along its banks. With the spread of permanent infrastructure and activities, however, the annual spring-flood is increasingly conceived as a hazard. Fuelled, among others, by recent flooding events, climate-change scenarios, conflicts about hydropower developments and an EU directive, plans are being debated to dam the river in hitherto protected areas in order to decrease flood-risk downstream. This article outlines the divergent perceptions of floods, development and the nature of a river, on which the debate is based, and argues for a political ecology that understands non-human dynamics not as a backdrop, but as integral constituent of environmental politics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:39:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-304f7b276aa741c8986669c701adc49e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1238-2086 2736-9722 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:39:40Z |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | The Geographical Society of Northern Finland |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nordia Geographical Publications |
| spelling | doaj.art-304f7b276aa741c8986669c701adc49e2022-12-21T17:50:12ZengThe Geographical Society of Northern FinlandNordia Geographical Publications1238-20862736-97222012-12-01415Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the KemijokiFranz Krause0Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Tallinn University and Department of Anthropology, University of AberdeenThe stark discharge variations on the Kemijoki, the longest river in Finnish Lapland, have long formed an integral part of the rhythmic dynamics of social and ecological life along its banks. With the spread of permanent infrastructure and activities, however, the annual spring-flood is increasingly conceived as a hazard. Fuelled, among others, by recent flooding events, climate-change scenarios, conflicts about hydropower developments and an EU directive, plans are being debated to dam the river in hitherto protected areas in order to decrease flood-risk downstream. This article outlines the divergent perceptions of floods, development and the nature of a river, on which the debate is based, and argues for a political ecology that understands non-human dynamics not as a backdrop, but as integral constituent of environmental politics.https://nordia.journal.fi/article/view/66052 |
| spellingShingle | Franz Krause Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the Kemijoki Nordia Geographical Publications |
| title | Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the Kemijoki |
| title_full | Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the Kemijoki |
| title_fullStr | Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the Kemijoki |
| title_full_unstemmed | Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the Kemijoki |
| title_short | Managing floods, managing people: A political ecology of watercourse regulation on the Kemijoki |
| title_sort | managing floods managing people a political ecology of watercourse regulation on the kemijoki |
| url | https://nordia.journal.fi/article/view/66052 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT franzkrause managingfloodsmanagingpeopleapoliticalecologyofwatercourseregulationonthekemijoki |