WAGE: Notes from the Field
In June, researchers from the Stefansson Arctic Institute—Joan Nymand Larsen, Jón Haukur Ingimundarson, and Helga Númadóttir—travelled to Nanortalik, the southernmost town of Greenland, to conduct fieldwork as part of the WAGE Circumpolar Partnership project.
The WAGE Circumpolar Partnership addresses economic and social inequalities in the Arctic and is led by Gérard Duhaime from the University of Laval, Quebec. Joan Nymand Larsen is leading a case study in South Greenland within the WAGE partnership, funded by SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) partnership grant (2021-2026). The case study contributes to the WAGE partnership’s overall objectives of describing and investigating the current state of inequalities in the Arctic and the study of the distribution of wealth and its dynamics.
Joan and Jón Haukur have conducted field-based research in South Greenland for many years in close collaboration with local and Indigenous knowledge holders, including in Nanortalik. This provides for a valuable foundation, and during their time in South Greenland in June 2025 the researchers could leverage prior knowledge and networks of local contacts already established while also creating new ones.
While in Nanortalik, Joan, Jón Haukur, and Helga conducted observations and consultations with the community, discussing various topics such as economic development, job training opportunities, and societal and environmental changes. Their consultations comprised interviews and surveys with individuals across different sectors in town, such as industry, education, tourism, commerce, local municipal authorities, private companies, the elders' organization, the energy sector, as well as hunters and fishermen. Additionally, they had the opportunity to visit the Nalunaq goldmine, located approximately 30 kilometers northeast of Nanortalik, which entered production last year.
A highlight of the productive days of fieldwork in June 2025 was the meaningful discussions held with the warm and welcoming people of Nanortalik. These conversations offered valuable insights into current dynamics, concerns, and priorities regarding economic development, societal changes and opportunities, and further strengthened the foundation for ongoing collaboration.
