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When the river started underneath the land: social constructions of a ‘severe’ weather event in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2012

Jennifer A. Spinney  and
Karen E. Pennesi
Jennifer A. Spinney
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Social Science Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C2, Canada (jspinney@uwo.ca)
Karen E. Pennesi
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Social Science Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C2, Canada (jspinney@uwo.ca)
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Abstract

In June 2008, the community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada experienced a rainstorm that caused structural damage to the community's bridge and extensive permafrost erosion along the Duval River. The local government characterised the event as ‘severe’ and focused their attention on the bridge collapse, in contrast to the residents, who described this particular consequence as inconvenient at worst and at best, exciting. Instead residents expressed greater concern for the permafrost erosion and the uncertainty this posed for community well-being. This article follows an 11 week anthropological field trip to Pangnirtung in the summer of 2009 and is based on 31 semi-structured interviews, two focus group discussions, and participant observation. We explore how social processes influence subjective constructions of what constitutes ‘severe’ weather in the community, and attempt to explain how such constructions lead to differing perceptions of vulnerability to ‘severe’ weather events. Contributing factors including the normalisation of threat, local beliefs regarding change and uncertainty, as well as the communication of risk information are discussed along with the different coping strategies used by government and residents in managing their perceived levels of vulnerability. The research shows the importance of understanding the role social processes play in shaping local conceptions of ‘severe’ and perceptions of vulnerability to ‘severe’ weather events. This study enhances understandings of difference within populations and adds to the growing body of literature that demonstrates the need to incorporate locally relevant indices when conducting vulnerability assessment.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 49 , Issue 4 , October 2013 , pp. 362 - 372
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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