7th Annual ARCUS Award for Arctic Research Excellence

Winner Social Science

Submitted by		Stephanie Irlbacher Fox
Authors
Category		Social Science
Title		Women’s Participation in Self Government Negotiations in the Northwest Territories, Canada
Affiliation		Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Abstract

This paper provides general background on self government negotiating processes in Canada’s Northwest Territories, focusing on women’s participation. It begins by briefly contrasting western feminist and indigenous feminist perspectives. A combination of statistical information, participant observations, interviews with self government negotiators, and narrative are sources for describing women’s involvement in self government negotiation processes. Drawing from perspectives of indigenous feminism I describe how what may appear as exclusion of women in formal talks is not representative of women’s involvement in the negotiation process. The conclusion offers questions for further research and consideration, suggesting factors that should be taken into account as part of that task.