ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the history of natural resource developments in the Arctic. Natural resource development is a prominent and controversial topic in the Far North. After the 1970s the advent of ecological awareness and greater concern for Indigenous peoples turned scholars’ attentions toward the disruptive impact of natural resource development. For the past 30+ years, scholarly analysis of northern resource development has shifted from the celebratory tone of the pre-1970 era to the more critical evaluation of mining and oil and gas development. The resource sector brought many changes to the Far North, one of the most important being the development of transportation, communications and community infrastructure. If the Arctic is to better understand the likely implications for the North from expanded resource development, it follows that a greater appreciation for historical patterns and processes could and should be invaluable.
