Giuseppe Amatulli
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Giuseppe Amatulli is a postdoctoral fellow working with Frances Abele, Catherine MacQuarrie and Satsan in the research project Rebuilding First Nations Governance.
Giuseppe completed his PhD in socio-legal anthropology from Durham University (U.K.) in 2022. Titled “Cumulative effects, anthropogenic changes, and modern life paths in sub-Arctic contexts. Envisioning the future in Northeastern British Columbia: the case of the Doig and Blueberry River First Nations,” Giuseppe’s PhD research focused on the cumulative effects of industrial development and their impact on the culture, lifestyle, and socio-economic organization of two First Nation communities located in Northeastern British Columbia (namely, Doig River and Blueberry River First Nation). Throughout his fieldwork in Northern BC (June 2019 – August 2020), he developed a specific interest in unpacking the concept of cumulative effects of Development, infrastructure anticipation, and the hopes and dreams that specific infrastructure (i.e. linear infrastructures such as pipelines and related facilities, railways, roads, etc. as well as other infrastructures such as ports and exporting facilities) generate for a better future while exploring why existing legal instruments, human rights tools, international agreements, etc., do not produce the expected results in everyday life.
Giuseppe considers his research at the intersection of sociocultural anthropology and International Human Rights Law. He has a strong interest in understanding how the legal framework should be framed to address peoples’ needs and future expectations. This is especially true for First Nations that are transitioning out from the Indian Act. Having the possibility to use an interdisciplinary approach, integrating Aboriginal Law with International Human Rights Law and with various aspects of public administration and public policy, is one of the main reasons why he chose to join the Rebuilding First Nations Governance Project. Giuseppe genuinely believes that being part of the Rebuilding First Nations Governance (RFNG) project would be a unique opportunity to merge different aspects and features of anthropology, legal disciplines, and public policy with the potential of producing cutting-edge results in terms of legal and policy needs of those First Nations transitioning out from the Indian Act.
Before joining Carleton University, Giuseppe was a visiting postdoctoral researcher at Tromsø University in the Arctic Silk Road Research Group – Imagining Global Infrastructures across the Circumpolar North, in the context of which he conducted fieldwork in Prince Rupert, BC, in the summer of 2022. He completed his PhD at Durham University, UK, where he was also affiliated with the Durham ARCTIC programme. Before that, he worked as a junior researcher at the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi (Finland). He also spent two months as a PhD visiting student in the School of Anthropology of the ANU, Canberra, Australia.
He received a European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA), and he holds a master’s and a bachelor’s Degree in political science and international relations, both from the University of Trieste (Italy).
He is involved in several networks and research panels (such as the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Sustainable Resources, of which he is the current Secretary General). From February 2020 till January 2023, he was a PhD representative on the UARCTIC board, and since January 2023, he is an Honorary Fellow of the Department of Anthropology, Durham University, U.K.