Jill Diederich exploring ecological practices in Arkhangelsk

Jill Diederich, Master candidate (University of Uppsala): Arkhangelsk

Jill is a member of polar.lu and conducts her research on ‘’Trash to Treasure – Art between traditional and contemporary ecological practices in Arkhangelsk, Russia”. Recycling and solid waste management are a serious problem in the Russian North. Artists and environmental activists have therefore looked for a way to make people aware of the need for recycling and change the social awareness altogether. Key word in this endeavor is reassembling – which is used on various levels to catch people's attention. Jill spent a semester abroad at the Northern Arctic Federal University, and is affiliated with Aetas (environmental organization, Arkhangelsk, Russia) and the Arctic Art Institute (Arkhangelsk, Russia). Jill’s supervisor is Prof. Vladislava Vladimirova from Uppsala University (Institute for Eurasian studies, Uppsala, Sweden and Max Planck Institute for social Anthropology, Halle, Germany).

Jill also wrote her Bachelor thesis on “Caribou management – environmental protection and awareness in Nunavut, Canada”. This thesis is about how the caribou management in the Kitikmeot region is much more than just the protection of a natural resource. In today's context, more and more people live in settlements throughout Nunavut and even though the caribou is still a major provider of meat, its importance has changed according to new needs and opportunities. Her tutor was Prof. Susanne Jauernig (Goethe University, Frankfurt).