About

This website supports the project, “Seals, Stigma and Survival: Finding Solutions to the EU Stigmatization of Seal Hunting”. The project explores solutions to the stigma associated with seal products, seal hunting and sealers in the EU.

Through this website you can learn more about the team supporting the project’s research, project observers and find the latest information on the project’s progress.

The project’s research was primarily funded by the Nordic Arctic Programme (formerly known as the Nordic Arctic Co-operation Programme). This project received additional financial and in-kind support from Innovation South Greenland for fieldwork in South Greenland. Archival research during the project period at the Laurier Archive, Wilfrid Laurier University was supported by a Joan Mitchell Travel Award. We would like to acknowledge and thank our funders for their support.

_{Photo: Seal hunters on the ice flows on the Newfoundland Front (circa 1978) – Copyright: Jim Winter}

Seals, Stigma and Survival is hosted by the Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark. If you have participated in the project’s primary research and you have any questions or concerns about the project, you can reach out to the principal investigator, Danita Catherine Burke, and/or the hosting university department. This project’s primary data collection is subject to the ethics approval processes of the host institution.

Interviews (April 2025-Present):

Project interviews are ongoing. If you are approached to participate in the project as an interviewee, please note (as the project information sheet and consent form confirm) that there is an option to have translation support for interviews. The project is able to project translation support (verbally and in writing) in Greenlandic, Norwegian, Finnish and Swedish should you have need. Please advise us in advance so we can make arrangements.

Please read the consent form and information sheet thoroughly. You always have the option to receive a transcript of what we would like to use from your interview for pre-approval.

If you are Indigenous and/or a traditional knowledge holder, you will be offered an honorarium for project participation in acknowledgement of your professional expertise and contribution to the project. If this is appliable to you and you were mistakenly not informed of this option in advance of or during your interview, our apologies. Please reach out as this unintended oversight will be resolved.

Lastly, many interviewees will be invited, typically, at the end of the interview to observe the project. This is a way for you to get monthly updates on the project’s progress and outputs, participate in the project network, and participate in project data sharing. Some of the observers are indicated on the website, but if you are not interested in being featured on the website, please note that this will not preclude you from observing the project.

Note: Permission is required to reproduce content from this website. If you are interested in requesting use of content from this website, please use the contact us function. No reproduction is permitted until permission is explicitly obtained in advance.