Greenland

Greenland has assumed a prominent place in the news recently as the US puts forth an agenda that includes expansion of our military presence there and extracting the rare earth minerals that lie beneath its ice cap. In this seminar we will look at Greenland’s history of surviving repeated colonization and resisting cultural dilution. Can they do it again?  

In their recent elections, the citizens of Greenland elected a new government on a platform of seeking complete independence from Denmark – but what would it take for them to survive without Denmark’s support? Is it in their best interests to explore stronger ties with the US or any other country? Who else might be interested? How can a country with limited agriculture and only one industry expect to prosper yet maintain their cherished culture? In this course we will explore these questions and also look at Greenland’s uniquely optimistic perspective on climate change.