Negotiating Northern Resource Development Frontiers

This book examines contemporary models of co-existence and partnerships negotiated between local communities government and resource corporations in the Russian District of Purovsky (Arctic Yamal) with some reference to Russia's wider socio-cultural and political contexts and more broadly the circumpolar world. Yamal has Eurasia’s richest oil and gas reserves and is an important crossroads region where various geopolitical and financial interests intersect. Since 1998 a number of unique models of co-existence and participatory dialogue involving public project reviews and sound participation of local and indigenous activist groups have been developed and implemented in Yamal. Purovsky District has served as a unique decision-making polygon for the Northeastern Urals. Several joint community-industry-government political and economic cooperation models have been tested and their elements have subsequently been implemented in other Arctic Russian localities. This project is a fieldwork-based reflection on these important developments.