Culture, Development and Petroleum : An Ethnography of the High North

The discovery, just forty years ago, of vast oil and gas reserves in Norway''s Arctic High North region created an economic titan. This original research illustrates the many challenges and opportunities now facing Norway’s citizens in a region which the government has designated its top strategic priority. An ethnographic study, the book showcases interviews with 21 representative individuals from the area and reveals the various impacts petroleum development has on their regional economy and culture.

The discovery, just forty years ago, of vast oil and gas reserves in the Southwestern part of Norway, and more recently in the Arctic High North region, created an economic titan and posed a vast array of challenges for both the Norwegian government and the residents of this area. How to extract and transport all that oil and gas without despoiling the pristine environment? How to use this wealth in a socially responsible and sustainable way? How to prepare the rural High North citizens—traditionally fishermen and farmers—for a global, high-tech economy?　

Adopting an original narrative approach to qualitative research, this book tells the stories of 21 individuals either living or having a genuine interest in the High North, from mayors and entrepreneurs to farmers and fishermen. Through these first-hand meetings, it constructs an ethnographic study that reveals how petroleum and development have impacted on the regional economy and culture.

This book will be of interest to all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, and for students and scholars of organization studies, cultural and communication studies, environmental anthropology, natural resource management and sustainable development.