David Kroik, winner of Uralic Ethnic Studies Award

This year, David Kroik, a Saami linguist, was awarded the Kindred Peoples’ Programme’s Uralic Ethnic Studies Award for his dissertation ‘The construction of spaces for Sámi language use: language revitalisation in educational contexts‘.

In his doctoral thesis, defended at the University of Umeå in 2023, David Kroik examines the educational policies that influence the spread of the Saami language in indigenous Saami areas, how the historical context of colonisation and assimilation influences Saami language use today, and how Saami communities are working to revitalise the language. While also giving an overview of the situation of the Saami language in Finland and Russia, he focuses on the South Saami language and language teaching in Norway and Sweden from pre-school to university.

Spaces for Saami Language Use

Using space as a central idea, Kroik identifies a number of factors that limit the emergence and growth of Saami-language spaces, such as the lack of training for Saami language teachers (especially in Sweden); the lack of a strategy to engage parents; institutions and education systems that are not based on Saami epistemology, etc. ‘At the same time, it is important that Kroik does not address the situation of minority language and culture solely as a result of power relations. In his view, the space for the Saami language does not necessarily have to be reclaimed from somebody, but the Saami language space is created,’ says Petar Kehayov, Professor of Finnic Languages at the University of Tartu, acknowledging the novel perspective of the study.

‘My work explores the teaching and revitalisation of the South Saami language in educational settings. Although historically the Saami language has been suppressed, today, as a result of years of work and effort, important spaces have been created where Saami is taught and used. This brings with it the hope that the revitalisation of the language will indeed bear fruit,’ David Kroik is optimistic about the future of the Saami language.

The jury of the Uralic Ethnic Studies Award pointed out that David Kroik’s dissertation could serve as a model for other researchers on the linguistic and educational landscapes of Uralic minorities. ‘There is a great deal of reflexivity in his reasoning, and he is aware of the dangers that arise from a researcher’s close ties to the community. At the same time, he does not remain a passive observer, but offers universal guidelines for shaping a multilingual and more inclusive education system,’ said jury member Tõnu Seilenthal.

David Kroik

David Kroik is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education and Arts at Nord University, Norway. He is actively involved in the revitalisation of the South Saami language. ‘I live and work at the intersection of different fields – I am a member of the Saami community, while working in national systems and participating in international associations. I am passionate about combining all these experiences and bringing them back to the Saami community. My passion for popularising science gives me the opportunity to put my knowledge into practice for the development of the South Saami language,’ says David Kroik, describing his daily work.

Uralic Ethnic Studies Award

Since 2012, the Ministry of Education and Research’s Kindred Peoples’ Programme has been awarding the Uralic Ethnic Studies Award to the indigenous Uralic peoples. Nominations are open for research published in the last four years. The prize amounts to €1,250. No prize was awarded in the second category of the competition, the Scientific Research Published in a Uralic Language Award.