Semin traveled to Greenland to study sled dogs and returned with a new perspective on preparedness

For Semin, who is from Turkey, the master’s project has changed the way she views preparedness. Instead of understanding preparedness as something created solely by institutions and technology, she believes it is developed through the interaction between people, animals, nature, and knowledge.

Last autumn, Semin spoke about her fascination with Arctic lifestyles in general, and the Greenland sled dog in particular. In her master’s thesis, she wanted to examine the role of the Greenland dog in Arctic preparedness.

The award-winning master’s thesis at the Nord University Business School has now been submitted as the best thesis in the category “High North and internationalization.”

“I am proud of the way Semin integrated demanding fieldwork into her master’s project,” says her supervisor and professor at the Nord University Business School, Natalia Andreassen.

She believes the student’s internship and later experience as a laboratory assistant at the Centre for Crisis Management and Cooperation (Nordlab) prepared her well to identify different aspects of preparedness thinking and to see important connections in the context of everyday life in Greenland.

The thesis is titled Non-human Actors in Arctic Emergency Preparedness: The Role of the Greenland Sled Dog.

When Semin began the project, the Sirius Patrol was the natural starting point. This Danish special unit patrols vast areas of Northeast Greenland with dog sleds and represents one of the world’s most extreme forms of preparedness. Semin began her work by engaging in dialogue with representatives of the patrol.

But in the field, she discovered that the story was bigger than the patrol alone.

“It’s about building resilience and robustness by using the best of Inuit knowledge and Western science. The thesis shows that we don’t need to choose between traditional knowledge and modern technology—they can complement each other.”

The fieldwork in Greenland involved close encounters with people who live daily with sled dogs.

“I quickly realised that to get to know the Inuit who understand the Greenland dog inside and out, I had to spend time with them. During my stay, I went on five different sled journeys with Greenlandic dog drivers, and I chose not to record our conversations. I took notes afterward,” Semin says.

In these contexts, she made it clear that she was a student working on her master’s thesis. Through her meetings with local people, she became increasingly interested in the knowledge behind the practice.

“I realised that the question wasn’t just about the sled dogs. It was also about the people, the experiences and the knowledge systems that make it possible to live and travel safely in the Arctic.”

I realised that the question wasn't just about the sled dogs. It was also about the people, the experiences and the knowledge systems that make it possible to live and travel safely in the Arctic.

Semin Bade Baran

In her thesis, Semin describes how the Greenland dog functions as much more than a mode of transportation.

“Through interviews with former members of the Sirius Patrol, I learned how the dogs can detect dangers before humans do, read the terrain, and respond to changes in their surroundings.”

She therefore argues that sled dogs should be understood as active participants in preparedness work, not merely as tools.

“In modern preparedness, we often think of technology as the solution. But in the Arctic, there are situations where experience, local knowledge, and cooperation with animals still provide completely unique advantages.”

In modern preparedness, we often think of technology as the solution. But in the Arctic, there are situations where experience, local knowledge, and cooperation with animals still provide completely unique advantages.

Semin Bade Baran

According to Semin, the challenge is that such knowledge systems often receive less space in formal preparedness structures than scientific and technological solutions.

Another important finding in the thesis is the significance of Indigenous local knowledge.

“Over generations, Inuit people have developed knowledge about weather, snow, ice, and travel in Arctic areas. This knowledge is passed on through experience and practice and cannot easily be replaced by technology,” says Semin Bade Baran.

This is the most important insight she brings back home from Greenland.