Hi Moya,
You may find the work of Finn Breinholt Larsen of interest.
His most recent piece in English (that I'm aware of) is "Causes and
remedies of interpersonal violence among Greenlandic Inuit," in:
Self-sufficiency in northern justice issues. (ed.) Curt T. Griffiths. pp.
351-63. Vancouver BC: Simon Fraser University, for The Northern Justice
Society, 1992.
He also publishes in Danish, most recently (...) "Voldsom d=F8d og social
forandring i Ittoqqortoormiit," in: Gr=F8nlandsk kultur - og samfunds
forskning 92. pp. 129-146. Nuuk: Ilisimatusarfik, and Atuakkiorfik.
['Violent death and social change in Ittoqqortoormiit']
The English summary reads as follows:
"Social problems have grown explosively in Greenland in recent decades. At
the same time, social development has progressed at great speed. This rapid
development is normally used as an explanation for the increase in social
problems. Even if there is undoubtedly some correlation between the two
variables, much points to the fact that this correlation is more complex
than hitherto assumed. In the article, Ittoqqortoormiit is used to
exemplify this argument. Ittoqqortoormiit is one of the local communities
in which the hunting culture is most intact. By the same time, it is one of
the places in Greenland hardest it by social problems. Taking violent death
(i.e. accidents, suicides and killings) as an expression of the scope of
the problems encountered, it is shown that mortality pattern in
Ittoqqortoormiit displays extreme characteristics compared to Greenland as
a whole, Denmark and the Faeroes. As an alternative to the simplistic
"social change creates social problems" model, a model is then presented
which seems better able to explain this phenomenon. According to the model,
the problems arise in an interaction between traditional and modern
cultural elements.
The model is built upon 6 assumptions:
1) The probability of aggressive behaviour increases in connection with the
consumption of alcohol when the actors are frustrated.
2) The non-confrontational style of the Inuit culture results in the build-up
of frustrations.
3) A "frenzied" drinking style increases the probability of an increase in
alcohol consumption leading to aggressive behaviour.
4) The probability of male aggressiveness is greater in communities where
importance is attached to the marking of a masculine gender role.
5) The probability of alcohol consumption leading to aggressive behaviour grows
where the actors' verbal conflict-solving ability is poorly developed.
6) Social development creates new conflict material through changes in the
distribution of social status, etc.
It is the interplay of the variables mentioned here which leads to a high
frequency of violent incidents (including self-destructive violence).
According to the models, the greater the "loading" with which the
individual variables occur, the higher the frequency of violent incidents.
The great frequency of violence in Ittoqqortoormiit, which is reflected in
an extreme mortality pattern, is rendered understandable by the model.
Violence flourishes to an even greater degree in Ittoqqortoormiit than in
other parts of Greenland precisely because traditional culture has survived
here to a greater extent than in most other parts of Greenland, while at
the same time the population has a high alcohol consumption and a
"frenzied" drinking pattern."
Hope this helps.
Jack
Jack Hicks Box 1554
e-mail: jhicks@nunavut.ca Iqaluit, Nunavut
home: (819) 979-2178, work: -4199, fax: -2260 CANADA X0A 0H0
"Give me snow, give me dogs, keep the rest..." - Knud Rasmussen