Elin Kristine Haugdal

Elin Kristine Haugdal is Professor of Art History, Study Program Director for Art History, and Research Group Leader of Worlding Northern Art (WONA) at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. She is affiliated with the Department of Language and Culture within the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education. Her work centers on Arctic and Sámi art, architecture, and visual culture, with a focus on indigenous knowledge, monumentality, and ecological perspectives.

Her research interests include:

• Architectural History and Theory
• Sámi Architecture and Design
• Public Art and Monumentality
• Visual Culture and Photography
• Landscape, Ecology, and the Built Environment
• Indigenous Cartography and Terminology

Haugdal’s recent publications (2020–2025) reflect a deep engagement with Sámi artistic practices, care ethics in photography, plant life in the Arctic, and the politics of cultural preservation. Her work often bridges art history with environmental humanities, postcolonial theory, and indigenous epistemologies, particularly in the context of Svalbard and Sápmi. She explores how photography mediates everyday life, how materials convey cultural meaning in architecture, and how cartographic practices in contemporary Sámi art challenge dominant spatial narratives.

Scientific contributions and leadership:

• Research Group Leader, Worlding Northern Art (WONA)
• Head of research network Huksenvieru sátnegirje (HUSA) – Sámi Architectural Dictionary
• Member of the Center for Arctic Humanities
• Editorial board member of Kunst og kultur (2013–2018)
• Organizer of the National PhD Course in Art History (2011–2020)
• Active participant in research projects such as Arctic Modernities and the Sámi Art Research Project (SARP)

Haugdal has supervised BA, MA, and PhD students and has been involved in numerous academic committees, including departmental and faculty boards. She is a leading voice in advocating for the preservation of Sámi cultural heritage, notably through her work on Sámiid Vuorká-Dávvirat (SVD). She also contributes to public discourse through panels, debates, and writings on indigenous architecture and language revitalization.

Laboratories, teams, and collaborative initiatives:

• Worlding Northern Art (WONA) – interdisciplinary research group
• Huksenvieru sátnegirje (HUSA) – Sámi architectural terminology network
• Center for Arctic Humanities – institutional hub for Arctic-focused humanities research
• Collaborations with artists such as Outi Pieski and Joar Nango
• Contributions to biennials and cultural events in the Barents Region