No room in the North: housing scarcity as infrastructure’s failed relations in the Arctic

This article examines the entanglements of housing infrastructure, economic structures, and social relations in Arctic regions, focusing on Nunavut (Canada) and Malmfälten (Sweden). Using a comparative ethnographic approach, we explore how housing scarcity is shaped not only by physical infrastructure but by broader political and economic forces. Drawing on thematic content analysis and an infrastructural relations framework, we highlight how capitalist logics, demographic shifts, and governance structures contribute to ongoing housing crises. Rather than viewing infrastructure as a static entity, we adopt a relational perspective that emphasizes the reciprocal dynamics between housing, social networks, and state policies. Our findings suggest that housing scarcity in the Arctic is not merely a consequence of remoteness or material limitations but a product of structural neglect, economic disincentives, and governance complexities. By framing infrastructure as a site of contested relations rather than a neutral technical system, we argue that addressing Arctic housing challenges requires not only increased investment but a fundamental rethinking of infrastructural governance, social responsibility, and sustainability in northern communities.