Disrupting Extraction: Decolonial Critique and the Role of Nature in Sámi Resistance

Abstract

The Sámi movement has long resisted extractive industries on their traditional lands. Current anti-extraction struggles in Sápmi, such as the ongoing opposition to the proposed Gállok mine, continue this legacy. This thesis adopts a decolonial perspective to examine how the Sámi movement articulates anti-colonial resistance in contemporary extraction conflicts. It focuses on how colonial relationships with the Swedish state are invoked and challenged, and how nature is mobilized as a central axis of critique. Decolonial theory is integrated with social movement theory, the concept of nature interests, and critical discourse analysis to investigate movement discourse through articles, organizational communications, and governmental referrals. The findings underscore a strong emphasis on a relational understanding of nature, which frames land not merely as a resource but as a site of cultural and spiritual meaning. This articulation serves as a form of epistemic disobedience—challenging dominant extractivist logics and asserting indigenous knowledge systems. However, tensions within the movement reveal the complexities of navigating modernity: while some actors critique capitalist growth models and the green transition, others engage with dominant legal and economic frameworks. These tensions illustrate how indigenous resistance operates both within and against the structures of modern coloniality.