About

The journal Études Inuit Studies (EIS) is a bilingual (French and English), multidisciplinary scientific journal dedicated to the study of circumpolar Inuit societies from the broad perspective of the humanities and social sciences (anthropology, archaeology, law, education, history, linguistics, politics, sociology, etc.), while remaining open to other disciplines (environment, public health, etc.). It is published by the Centre interuniversitaire d’études et de recherches autochtones (CIÉRA), at Université Laval, Quebec City. Articles and research notes are rigorously selected and peer-reviewed on a double-blind basis. Thanks to the diversity of its authors and readership, and the quality of its publications, this biannual journal has established itself as the international reference in the field of Inuit studies.

Mandate

The primary mandate of ÉIS journal is the bilingual (French and English) dissemination of the results of scientific research carried out by international researchers specializing in circumpolar Inuit societies, in the vast field of humanities, social sciences and other disciplines. These multidisciplinary approaches aim to provide a better understanding of the past and present realities of circumpolar Arctic populations, the issues and challenges they face, and the concerns of older and younger generations alike. With a view to decolonizing research practices and scientific diffusion, the journal has also taken on the new mandate of giving a central place to the Inuit.

Background

The Inuksiutiit Katimajiit Inc. association, created by a team of Université Laval researchers, founded the journal Études/Inuit/Studies in 1977, which became Études Inuit Studies (ÉIS) in 2018. In 1989, the association joined forces with Université Laval's Centre interuniversitaire d'études et de recherches autochtones (CIÉRA), enabling the journal to move into the center's premises, store its issues and have access to its secretarial services. In 2014, the ÉIS journal came under the responsibility of CIÉRA, which now publishes it.

ÉIS is the only French-language, bilingual Canadian scientific journal devoted to Inuit societies from a multidisciplinary perspective, although there are other journals devoted to the Arctic and its inhabitants: for example, The Arctic Anthropology, The Northern Review and Arctic Science. As a result, ÉIS's readership is multidisciplinary, with a majority from the humanities and social sciences. It's also an international readership, geographically located in 114 different countries, mostly in North America and Europe, including French-speaking countries. The ÉIS journal's readership is both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and includes researchers, professors, students, practitioners and professionals who vary according to the themes of the issues published, and are drawn from related disciplines (anthropology, archaeology, law, education, history, linguistics, political science, sociology, geography, biology, environment, climatology, public health, social work, nursing, etc.).

Over the years, the ÉIS journal has developed important partnerships both internationally and in Canada, with the guest editors of the thematic issues. The journal is funded by several Université Laval research chairs: the Sentinel North Research Chair on Relations with Inuit Societies, the INQ Research Chair on Northern Sustainable Development, the Sentinel North Partnership Research Chair in Ecosystem Approaches to Health (Littoral Chair),and the Sentinel North Research Chair in Brain Health and Economics. The journal is also funded by the Inuksiutiit Katimajiit Association, the Centre interuniversitaire d'études et de recherches autochtones at Université Laval, and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Société et culture (FRQCS). Since 2024, ÉIS journal has been an active member of the Réseau Circé, le Réseau québécois de recherche et de mutualisation pour les revues scientifiques (the Quebec research and sharing network for scientific journals).

Editorial policy and ethics

Editorial Policy

The journal Études Inuit Studies works in close collaboration with the members of the Editorial Board and the International and Circumpolar Committee, who are regularly involved in its editorial development. ÉIS represents the international benchmark in the field of Inuit Studies, thanks to committed researchers who collaborate with circumpolar Inuit populations. Interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary approaches enable us to identify the realities of circumpolar Inuit communities, as well as their socio-cultural, environmental, political and economic issues. The manuscripts that address these themes offer analyses of data collected in the field, cross-referencing available historical, literary and oral sources, proposing avenues for reflection and envisaging possible solutions for a better future for Inuit societies.

The ÉIS journal has a number of different sections: thematic and off-theme peer-reviewed articles and research notes; an “Inuit Voice” section that gives a voice to Inuit in the form of transcripts of conferences and interviews; book reviews; literature reviews, poems and an “In Memoriam” section that pays tribute to personalities who have made a significant contribution to the field of Inuit studies.

All manuscripts submitted to the journal are initially reviewed by the Editorial Board. Articles and research notes submitted to the journal ÉIS are double-blind peer-reviewed. Manuscripts submitted to the Editorial Board must not be submitted in conjunction with another publication. The ÉIS journal publishes original and innovative academic research in all fields of Inuit research, written by international Inuit and non-Inuit researchers identified by the editors as having important contributions to make to the readership.

Open Access Policy

All issues of ÉIS journal have been open access on  JStor since 1977 and on Érudit since 2002, with the exception of the current year's issues, which are subject to a 12-month embargo.

The ÉIS journal plans to have full open access to all its issues by 2028, and is currently working on this transition. It will be published under the Open Access model (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International license) and is therefore free for anybody to read and download, and to copy and disseminate for educational purposes. 

Publishing Languages

The journal Études Inuit Studies (EIS) is a bilingual (French and English), multidisciplinary scientific journal dedicated to the study of circumpolar Inuit societies from the broad perspective of the humanities and social sciences (anthropology, archaeology, law, education, history, linguistics, politics, sociology, etc.), while remaining open to other disciplines (environment, public health, etc.). It is published by the Centre interuniversitaire d’études et de recherches autochtones (CIÉRA), at Université Laval, Quebec City. Articles and research notes are rigorously selected and peer-reviewed on a double-blind basis. Thanks to the diversity of its authors and readership, and the quality of its publications, this biannual journal has established itself as the international reference in the field of Inuit studies.

Publication Frequency

The ÉIS journal publishes two issues a year, in spring and fall.

Article Processing Charges (APCs)

The journal does not have APC or any submission charge.

Editorial board

Governance :

• Director: Caroline Hervé
• Editor-in Chief: Aurélie Maire

Editorial Committee :

• Claudio Aporta, Dalhousie University
• Najat Bhiry, Université Laval
• Caroline Desbiens, Université Laval
• Gérard Duhaime, Université Laval
• Anna Hudson, York University
• Heather Igloliorte, University of Concordia
• Frédéric Laugrand, Université catholique de Louvain

International Advisory Committee :

• Frank Tester, University of British Columbia
• Ann Fienup-Riordan, Anchorage, Alaska
• Karla Jessen Williamson, University of Saskatchewan
• Gisèle Maheux, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
• Carl Christian Olsen, Oqaasileriffik/Greenland Language Secretariat
• Cunera Buijs, Research Center for Material Culture, Netherlands
• Igor Krupnik, Arctic Studies Center, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
• Lawrence Kaplan, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
• Naullaq Arnaquq, Government of Nunavut
• Nobuhiro Kishigami, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
• Sean Guistini, Nunavut Arctic College
• Søren T. Thuesen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• Vladimir Randa, LACITO-CNRS, France

Founder:

• Bernard Saladin d’Anglure