Anna Karlsdóttir
University of Iceland, Department of Geography and Tourism, Faculty Member
- Gender Studies, Tourism Studies, Human Geography, Cultural Geography, Rural Development, Economic Geography, and 13 moreSocial Geography, Spatiality (Cultural geography), Mobility, Vegetation Ecology, Conservation Biology, Biodiversity Research, Landscape and Land-use-history, Forest Ecology, Alpine and Arctic Research, Landscape Ecology, Biology, Botany, and Ecologyedit
The questions of how to retain and attract young populations are central issues for regional policy development in the Nordic Arctic. Nordregio and the Nordic working group on sustainable regional ...
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Research Interests: Arctic and The Arctic
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In international rankings of human development, wellbeing and quality of life, the Nordic countries tend to score very well. The European Quality of Life Survey (2016), the OECD Better Life Index (2017) and OECD Health at Glance (2018)... more
In international rankings of human development, wellbeing and quality of life, the Nordic countries tend to score very well. The European Quality of Life Survey (2016), the OECD Better Life Index (2017) and OECD Health at Glance (2018) show that the Nordic countries are top performers in terms of wellbeing and quality of life, and the World Happiness Report22 shows that the Nordic countries are performing at the top with Finland in first place, followed by Denmark in second, Norway in third, Iceland in fourth and Sweden in seventh (Helliwell, Layard & Sachs, 2019). In order to assess human progress and development, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has been using the Human Development Index (HDI) since 1990 (Figure 10.1). This index focuses on three dimensions; life expectancy at birth; knowledge measured by years of schooling; and a decent standard of living measured by gross national income per capita.
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Innovation is one of the key factors influencing regional performance and growth. The term “innovation” comes from the Latin verb innovare, meaning “to do something new”. Innovation differs significantly across regions. High levels of... more
Innovation is one of the key factors influencing regional performance and growth. The term “innovation” comes from the Latin verb innovare, meaning “to do something new”. Innovation differs significantly across regions. High levels of innovation have a positive influence on performance at company level and, as a result, on economic performance at regional and national level. Regional studies of innovation aim to understand and explain differences in economic performance, especially from the regional point of view. This chapter discusses smart specialisation as a new innovation policy concept. What is the role of smart specialisation in promoting regional innovation in the Nordic regions?
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What is the future of work? This question has attracted substantial attention in recent years from both researchers and policy makers. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the answer will be shaped in large part by... more
What is the future of work? This question has attracted substantial attention in recent years from both researchers and policy makers. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the answer will be shaped in large part by four global megatrends: demographic change, technological change, globalisation and climate change (ILO, 2017). Though the significance of these trends is hard to dispute, the outcome is in no way predetermined. Political and institutional frameworks will play an important role in shaping the way they play out, and, as Nordic researchers have pointed out, the Nordic model will both shape and be shaped by these changes (see Dolvik & Steen, 2018 for an excellent account of the Nordic future of work). Open discussions about the potential challenges that lie ahead are a vital step towards the development of effective policy responses. Within this conversation, it is important to go beyond the national perspective and consider the potential for these trends to affect local labour markets in different ways. As such, this chapter explores the future of work from the perspective of regional and local labour markets. It first considers the implications of demographic change on the future labour supply, highlighting population ageing and urbanisation as key trends in this regard. It goes on to explore the potential for automation in Nordic labour markets, including a brief discussion of human capital and the future of work. In choosing the 2040 horizon we follow the example set by the Nordic Future of Work project – looking far enough into the future to provoke inspired debate but close enough to incite action now (Dolvik & Steen, 2018).
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In recent decades, migration in the Nordic Region has been characterised by two major trends. The first is the large number of international migrants moving to the Nordic countries, causing the foreign- born proportion of the populations... more
In recent decades, migration in the Nordic Region has been characterised by two major trends. The first is the large number of international migrants moving to the Nordic countries, causing the foreign- born proportion of the populations to reach historic highs. The second is internal migration within the Nordic countries away from peripheral rural areas towards a few select larger urban areas. Both trends have implications for population structure and economic development at the national and regional levels. This chapter analyses recent trends in international and internal migration before examining the interesting interplay of the two flows at the regional level.
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Population ageing has been one of the main demographic trends in the Nordic Region during recent decades. The process of population ageing can be understood as an upward shift in the population age structure. This means that there is a... more
Population ageing has been one of the main demographic trends in the Nordic Region during recent decades. The process of population ageing can be understood as an upward shift in the population age structure. This means that there is a decline in the proportion of children and young people, along with an increase in the proportion of older age groups. As population ageing is a major development that can be seen throughout the Nordic countries and elsewhere in Europe, it has emerged as a central question in public debate and on the policy agenda. Ageing is perceived as a challenge that will result in greater economic and societal demands in all countries, and it is widely considered vital to plan and prepare for its impacts.
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The bioeconomy is all-encompassing and comprises those parts of the economy that make responsible use of renewable biological resources from the land and water for the mutual benefit of business, society and nature (Nordic Council of... more
The bioeconomy is all-encompassing and comprises those parts of the economy that make responsible use of renewable biological resources from the land and water for the mutual benefit of business, society and nature (Nordic Council of Ministers, 2017). The bioeconomy is a central part of the circular economy, which aims to retain deployed resources in the economy for as long as possible, so reducing waste to a minimum and maximising local added value. It therefore offers the possibility of new and more environmentally friendly growth opportunities in all fields and requires the rethinking of value chains, ecosystems and business models (Annala & Teras, 2017).
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Concepts like knowledge co-production and narrative-centred approaches have become more prominent in place-based research in the Arctic. This article will share experiences from the Belmont Arctic II program's project "Sense Making, Place... more
Concepts like knowledge co-production and narrative-centred approaches have become more prominent in place-based research in the Arctic. This article will share experiences from the Belmont Arctic II program's project "Sense Making, Place attachment, and Extended networks, as sources of Resilience in the Arctic" (SeMPER-Arctic, 2019-2023). Rooting our work in the Arctic, with and for Arctic communities, we collected local stories of changes, shocks, upheavals, and their aftermaths in three communities: Uummannaq and Ittoqqortoormiit (Greenland) and Tiksi (Sakha Republic, Russia). However, this article is primarily about our research in Greenland. We investigated the interactions between the local narratives of resilience and two broad categories of external narratives: environmental science, and public policy and regional development. We developed a narrative-centered, locally rooted, place-based understanding of resilience. This calls for developing tools and strategies to increase community resilience in other communities and for sharing the lessons learned with regional planners and policymakers. We contribute to the framing of global environmental change through respectful, non-prejudiced enquiry, deciphering what it means to be a resilient community. Therefore, the results of this analysis are meant to be translated into options for actions, at the local, regional, national and circumpolar levels. Working towards maximizing impacts or enhancing resilience from research conducted for the benefit of communities involved in the research requires reflexivity and relationship building. How did this commitment emerge in our research practices? How do we meet ethical considerations? How do we contribute to decolonizing research whose imperative is towards culturally responsive research? This article will discuss experiences, questions and tensions emerging from circumpolar fieldwork-grounded research.
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This chapter investigates the role of land use planning in the context of arctic urban development through six city-profiles. Urbanisation in the Arctic is driven by a range of socio-economic and political factors. Not least, these... more
This chapter investigates the role of land use planning in the context of arctic urban development through six city-profiles. Urbanisation in the Arctic is driven by a range of socio-economic and political factors. Not least, these include political processes to concentrate public services and a withdrawal from state-led socio-economic planning, economic processes that have led to the development of labour markets and new social institutions that are needed for reproducing the labour force. While these processes create development opportunities, they also have a wide range of spatial impacts and these require increased attention toward urban land-use planning. Through the city-profiles, we suggest that effective urban land use planning in the Arctic is highly context dependent. Significant issues appear to include: the importance of preserving relationships between society and the natural environment; the necessity in some cases for planning measures in response to significant urban sprawl; the recognition of complex governance structures that influence development strategies; and even the necessity for planning responses to suburban sprawl.
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In this paper we focus on three of the main ways civil society can play a role in the integration of refugees and immigrants. The leading question we seek to answer is as follows. Are the ways in w ...
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The project and the publication were supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA, and Norway Grants and was co-financed by Polish funds.
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State of the Nordic Region 2022 has its point of departure in the Covid-19 pandemic and examines how it has affected demography, labour market and economy in the Nordic countries, regions, and municipalities. State of the Nordic Region is... more
State of the Nordic Region 2022 has its point of departure in the Covid-19 pandemic and examines how it has affected demography, labour market and economy in the Nordic countries, regions, and municipalities. State of the Nordic Region is published every two years and provides a comprehensive account of regional development trends in the Nordic countries based on the latest statistical data. Charts and maps on different geographical scales are accompanied by expert analysis, providing policymakers and practitioners with a solid evidence base for informed decision making. In writing this edition of State of the Nordic Region, it was, of course, vital to acknowledge the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Given the magnitude of this crisis, a conscious decision was taken early in the process to make the pandemic the explicit focus of the publication. State of the Nordic Region 2022 is produced and published by Nordregio.
This chapter presents a content analysis of 110 rural, subnational (i.e. municipal, subregional and regional) tourism plans in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland) to... more
This chapter presents a content analysis of 110 rural, subnational (i.e. municipal, subregional and regional) tourism plans in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland) to explore several visions and goals for tourism development. Two different patterns are explored to understand the resulting distribution of sustainability concern types: (i) the local openness about negative impacts of tourism, and (ii) (a proxy for) the degree of participation in the development of the subnational tourism development plan relative to the resulting sustainability concern.
In the first and second decade of this century, tourism has grown steadily, albeit with regional variation, but in many cases, it has become an established sector of Nordic economies in terms of bo ...
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This publication has been produced as part of the project Foresight Analysis for Sustainable Regional Development in the Nordic Arctic, commissioned by the Nordic Working Group for Sustainable Regi ...
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Denna policy brief sammanfattar den kunskapsoversiktsom Nordregio tagit fram hosten 2017 pa detta tema, for publicering i december 2017: Policies and measures to speed up labour market integration ...
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This report concludes a three-year foresight process on the topic of future sustainable regional development in the Nordic Arctic (2013–2016), based on the mandate given by the Nordic Council of Mi ...
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During the last decade, all Nordic countries have drawn up strategies for their Artic regions, with several countries even revising these Arctic strategies within this short period of time. It show ...
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This paper addresses human capital in the Arctic in relation to tourism. More specifically, with an ever-increasing number oftourists recognizing the attractiveness of the Arctic, tour companies ar ...
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The questions of how to retain and attract young populations are central issues for regional policy development in the Nordic Arctic. Nordregio and the Nordic working group on sustainable regional ...
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This report is the result of a comparative study of policies and measures in place in the Nordic countries for achieving swifter labour market integration of refugees. There are many factors that a ...
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In this publication we focus on three of the main ways civil society can play a role in the integration of refugees and immigrants. The leading question we seek to answer is as follows. Are the ways in which civil society engages... more
In this publication we focus on three of the main ways civil society can play a role in the integration of refugees and immigrants. The leading question we seek to answer is as follows. Are the ways in which civil society engages different in rural areas and in smaller communities around the Nordic Region, as compared with urban areas and large cities? We use evidence from interviews and transcripts with migration workers as our starting point. We then focus on the role of a) religious communities and aid organisations, b) sport organisations and clubs, c) pop-up activism and mentorship programmes from available literature and from Nordic seminars and dialogue. We will also focus on partnerships and forms of coordination between civil society organisations, municipalities and regions.
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Although there are many ways in which tourism and migration are interconnected, current research focuses mainly on either migration or tourism. Tourism is commonly linked to leisure and business, while migration is generally linked to... more
Although there are many ways in which tourism and migration are interconnected, current research focuses mainly on either migration or tourism. Tourism is commonly linked to leisure and business, while migration is generally linked to work, politics and culture. In fact the boundaries between tourism and migration are not often clear cut and the consequences of different kinds of mobility are not obvious.
This book demonstrates the importance of blurring the boundaries between different kinds of mobility in social research and broadens understanding migrants and tourists as interconnected social categories placing Poland and Iceland at the center of the inquiry. Based on a collaborative project between researchers from these two countries it examines leisure and tourist activities of migrants, their perceptions of nature in Iceland and UK, changing images of migrants and tourists in Iceland, and changing images of Iceland as a tourist destination.
This book demonstrates the importance of blurring the boundaries between different kinds of mobility in social research and broadens understanding migrants and tourists as interconnected social categories placing Poland and Iceland at the center of the inquiry. Based on a collaborative project between researchers from these two countries it examines leisure and tourist activities of migrants, their perceptions of nature in Iceland and UK, changing images of migrants and tourists in Iceland, and changing images of Iceland as a tourist destination.
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“Mobility to the Edges of Europe: The case of Poland and Iceland” Eds. Dorota Rancew-Sikora and Unnur Dís Skaptadóttir - Although there are many ways in which tourism and migration are interconnected, current research focuses mainly on... more
“Mobility to the Edges of Europe: The case of Poland and Iceland”
Eds. Dorota Rancew-Sikora and Unnur Dís Skaptadóttir -
Although there are many ways in which tourism and migration are interconnected, current research focuses mainly on either one or the other. Tourism is commonly linked to leisure and business, while migration is generally associated with work, politics, and culture. In fact the boundaries between tourism and migration are not often clear cut and the consequences of different kinds of mobility are not obvious.
This book emphasizes the importance of blurring the boundaries between different kinds of mobility in social research and broadens our understanding of migrants and tourists as interconnected social categories, placing Poland and Iceland at the centre of the inquiry. Based on a collaborative project carried out by researchers from these two countries, it examines leisure and tourist activities of migrants, their perceptions of nature in Iceland and the UK, the changing image of migrants and tourists in Iceland, and the evolving attitude towards Iceland as a tourist destination.
Eds. Dorota Rancew-Sikora and Unnur Dís Skaptadóttir -
Although there are many ways in which tourism and migration are interconnected, current research focuses mainly on either one or the other. Tourism is commonly linked to leisure and business, while migration is generally associated with work, politics, and culture. In fact the boundaries between tourism and migration are not often clear cut and the consequences of different kinds of mobility are not obvious.
This book emphasizes the importance of blurring the boundaries between different kinds of mobility in social research and broadens our understanding of migrants and tourists as interconnected social categories, placing Poland and Iceland at the centre of the inquiry. Based on a collaborative project carried out by researchers from these two countries, it examines leisure and tourist activities of migrants, their perceptions of nature in Iceland and the UK, the changing image of migrants and tourists in Iceland, and the evolving attitude towards Iceland as a tourist destination.