Read a short history of the Danish colonization of Greenland in an encyclopedia or another source. Imagine the story of the colonization told from the viewpoint of an Inuit. How do you think the accounts would differ?

Watch the film version of Smilla's Sense of Snow and note how director Bille August chooses to portray the story. What are some of the ways the film conveys the main themes of the novel? Does the film seem "true" to the novel, or are there inexplicable changes?

Read Polar Star by Martin Cruz Smith, a murder mystery that takes place on a fishing boat near the Arctic Circle. What similarities and differences can you find between the two books?

In what ways do the needs and concerns of Inuit people both clash and coincide with environmental issues? For example, the Inuit traditionally hunt whales...