Contested Pasts, Contested Lands: The Role of History in Contemporary Land Use Conflicts in the Swedish Arctic

My doctoral research examines the role of history in contemporary land-use conflicts in northern Sweden. Focusing on Kiruna, I analyse how historical processes, historical narratives, and material legacies have shaped the relationship between natural resource extraction, land use, and societal development from the seventeenth century to the present. The research addresses, among other things, the historical consequences of mining, the significance of cultural heritage in conflicts over land and natural resources, and how historical knowledge is used in contemporary legal and political processes. By combining long-term historical perspectives with studies of contemporary conflicts, I explore how different actors use and interpret history in questions concerning land, natural resources, and future land use.