A quick follow up to Inger's point. There is a good deal of online debate about this point in the film - that Inuit elders suggest the Earth has titled on its axis - but the filmmakers chose not to unpack the point, keeping with the goal of only presenting Inuit perspectives. The potential outcomes from presenting these perspectives, as Inger highlights, are significant.
Here is a story that reflects on this issue a little: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/new-documentary-recounts-bizarre-climate-changes-seen-by-inuit-elders/article1763952/ Chris On 2010-12-13, at 3:42 PM, Inger Weibust wrote: > Dear colleagues, > > I do hope this film generates discussion because I've been > disappointed by the lack of Canadian media coverage of it, given some > rather controversial claims made in it. > > Specfically, some elders interviewed say that the climate is changing > because the tilt of the earth's axis has changed. This simply isn't > reconciliable with conventional science. > > I'm disappointed that Canadian median accounts have not engaged on > this point because I can see only two possible responses leading to > this, neither of which I find acceptable. > > 1) a patronizing view that indigenous knowledge is intrinsically > unscientific, unreliable and can therefore be safely discounted or ignored. > > OR > > 2) a wholesale rejection of the scientific method, by which claims > about the world are compared to empirical observations and we accept > the best explanation currently available, rejecting those that are > not consistent with empirical evidence. > > regards, > > Inger > > > At 11:03 AM 13/12/2010, Christopher Gore wrote: >> Dear Colleagues: >> >> You may be interested in this recent documentary focused on Inuit >> knowledge of the Arctic and climate change. The film is almost >> exclusively in Inuktitut, with english subtitles. Much of the >> documentary presents interviews with elders, with footage of the >> Arctic environment mixed in. The documentary reflects on indigenous >> knowledge about ecological change and the impacts on the customary >> way of life for the Inuit. There are also some very interesting >> observations on the role of 'southerners', and the role of wildlife >> biologists, particularly in relation to the debate about polar bear >> populations. Nobel Prize Nominee Sheila Watt-Cloutier and Inuit >> Nation Leader, Mary Simon are just two of the many people >> interviewed. The film is about 54 minutes long and viewable on-line >> or for purchase on-line. I suspect it may be valuable to generate >> discussion or debate in your winter classes. >> >> http://www.isuma.tv/hi/en/inuit-knowledge-and-climate-change >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Chris >> >> Christopher Gore, Ph.D. >> Associate Professor >> Politics and Public Administration >> Ryerson University >> 350 Victoria St. >> Toronto, ON, M5B2K3 >> tel: 416-979-5000 x2703 >> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> >> http://works.bepress.com/cdgore/ >> >> Editor, Review of Policy Research >> The Politics and Policy of Science and Technology >> http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1541-1338 > > Inger Weibust, Ph.D. > Assistant Professor > Norman Paterson School of International Affairs > Carleton University >
