Governing with Knowledge: User Knowledge, Epistemic Justice, and Marine Mammal Management in the Arctic

Abstract

This thesis investigates how user knowledge—place-based insights from hunters and local actors—is integrated into environmental governance, using the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO) as a case study. Drawing on Tengö et al.’s (2017) five-task framework for knowledge integration (mobilize, translate, negotiate, synthesize, and apply), the study analyzes NAMMCO documents and reports from 2017 to 2024, with a focus on the narwhal management conflict in East Greenland. The research adopts a qualitative, document-based methodology and situates its analysis within broader debates on co-production, epistemic justice, and institutional legitimacy. Findings indicate that while NAMMCO has made significant strides in recognizing and institutionalizing user knowledge, structural and epistemological barriers persist. The case of East Greenland reveals both tensions and possibilities in co-production, showing how user knowledge can reshape management practices if meaningfully engaged. The study contributes to understanding how knowledge pluralism operates in Arctic governance and emphasizes the need for ethical, inclusive frameworks that value diverse ways of knowing.

Keywords: User knowledge, marine mammal management, knowledge co-production, epistemic justice, arctic governance