Sami space for agency in the management of the Laponia World Heritage site

This article investigates the space for agency of the Indigenous Sami in the management of the Laponia World Heritage site in northern Sweden. Analysing policy documents and interviews with key actors within a framework of post-colonial and discourse theory, I argue that discursive constructions of the management organisation, understandings of the relationships between the parties involved, and perceptions of challenges for the management organisation affect the Sami space for agency in the management of Laponia. Furthermore, there is a tension between the intrinsic value of Sami influence that follows an understanding of the Sami as an Indigenous people and the more instrumental value of Sami influence following a focus on the Sami reindeer-herding communities as important for the values of the World Heritage site. The positioning of the Sami in Laponia affects, and in some ways limits, the space for Sami political agency. It also connects to colonial discourses, historical and contemporary inequalities, and unequal power structures. Nevertheless, the management of Laponia is a unique example of increased Sami influence, resulting from Sami political struggle for recognition of their rights.