NORSIL Seminar Successfully Held at UiT, the Arctic University of Norway
On June 16-17, 2026, the Nordic Research Network for Sámi and Indigenous Peoples Law (NORSIL) held a successful seminar focused on the role of Sámi institutions and traditional knowledge (árbediehtu) in reindeer herding within the context of the ongoing green transition in Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
NORSIL is a network primarily comprising legal scholars specializing in Sámi and Indigenous peoples’ law. The UArctic Law Thematic Network works together with the NORSIL network, and many NORSIL members are also part of the UArctic network.
The event is part of the NORSIL-NKJ project led by Luleå University of Technology and partnered with the University of Lapland and UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The seminar examined legal and policy responses to sustainable development and climate change challenges affecting Sámi communities. It brought together over 30 researchers, PhD candidates, early-career scholars, and representatives from key organizations across the Nordic region. Discussions emphasized the importance of Indigenous knowledge in sustainability governance and investigated how national and international legal frameworks, courts, and human rights bodies recognize and incorporate Indigenous knowledge as a source of law. Participants also discussed how traditional Sámi knowledge can contribute to sustainable land-use practices and equitable transition pathways in the Nordic region.