Publications

Den dansk dirigerede grønlandske samfundsforskning i Grønland tog for alvor fart i tiden efter Anden Verdenskrig. Det skete sideløbende med det nyligt oprettede FN’s kritik af forholdene i de danske kolonier. Retsforhold, vedfærdsforhold og andre sociologiske emner som f.eks. samarbejdet mellem grønlændere og danskere skulle undersøges. Man startede med at studere betingelserne for oprettelsen af en specifik grønlandsk lovgivning. Senere oprettede Grønlandsministeriet Udvalget for samfundsvidenskabelig forskning i Grønland (USG) .

Dette igangsætter en tradition omkring samfundsforskning i Grønland med et dansk perspektiv. Verner Goldschmidt gjorde en del for inddrage blandt Guldborg Chemnitz i det analytiske arbejde. Dog hører det til sjældenhederne at grønlænderne deltog i forskningsarbejdet i deres eget land. Der er siden opstået en diskurs om at samfundsvidenskabelig forskning om Grønland i overvejende grad begås af danske forskningsinstitutioner, hvilket også gør sig gældende for øvrige videnskaber. En tendens der forstærket af Selvstyrets fortsatte rekvirering af denne forskning. Denne tendens har forskere som Linda Tuhiwai Schmidt har gjort meget for at påpege. Der arbejdes med en moddiskurs kaldet decolonizing methodology. Herhjemme har vi få men centrale reaktioner fra grønlandske forskere, embedsmænd og politikere omkring dette. Heri blandt Ilisimatusarfiks første rektor Robert Petersen, ministrene Stephen Heilmann og Henriette Rasmussen. Endvidere har vi kritiske bemærkninger fra forskningskoordinatorer som Mogens Holm mv. Alle beklager den herskende distancerede diskurs, som tilmed skaber et udefraskuende perspektiv på samfundet. Dette afsnit vil summarisk forholde sig til dele af denne udvikling, diskutere modreaktioner, vise tendenser og modtendenser samt illustrere med et par cases, hvordan der med enkle ændringer i forskningsdesigns kan laves mere inddragende og vedblivende forskning herhjemme.

Pituffik or Thule in Greenland has always been controversial within foreign and security policy between three parties: Denmark,Greenland and the USA. The Thule-base in Greenland has had an important role during the Cold War as part of the US military sphere in the North. The role of the base has changed over time to become a radar station, but it is still part of the overall US defense system. Recent tensions around the base regarding the contract and subcontractor’s role have intensified discussions about the existence of the base and who actually has power over the base. The Greenlandic government has had awish to be more influential on what is going on in the far north, but things have been held secret from the public and local politicians. This has resulted in some skepticism between Greenland and Denmark on the one hand, but also between Greenland and the USA on the other. This paper will shed light on the development from the bilateral to the trilateral relationship outplayed between the three major actors and how this relates to foreign and security policy within the Kingdom of Denmark and the relationship towards the USA.

The growing incidence of chronic diseases and an ageing population, worldwide as well as in Greenland, call for an intensified focus on health promotion and rehabilitation. However, research shows that the existing disease-oriented healthcare system is not geared to manage the psychosocial problems of chronically ill or disabled citizens. The problem is related to the prevailing biomedical institutional structures where expert- and professional knowledge trumps the knowledge and perspectives of the users of the institutions. Speaking about health in the broad sense of WHO, there is a need for an intensified focus on wellbeing, not only physical health. The chapter presents the visions for an ongoing research project in Sermersooq Municipality.

The research aims at developing knowledge about the citizens’ everyday lives with illness or disabilities, their cultural values and perspectives. Involving this kind of knowledge in professional practice requires the professionals’ reflection on means and ends in a welfare institution like home care. Welfare-professional contributions are meant to support citizen participation in social living. Therefore, professionals must learn about citizens’ social and cultural conditions for managing their lives.

Furthermore, the project aims at revealing and describing the conditions for professional practice as a contribution to the professionals’ abilities to analyze their practice.

The material is developed through participant observations in the municipality and the citizens’ homes, and qualitative interviews with citizens, care personnel, therapists, and leaders on different levels.

The expected outcome is a set of tools for professional practice reflection following the principles described above.