Hobart conference putting Antarctica on the map of the Humanities and Social Sciences

A major international conference in Hobart this week aims to put Antarctica on the map of the humanities and social sciences.

Entitled “Depths and Surfaces: Understanding the Antarctic Region through the Humanities and Social Sciences,” the conference has attracted 90 delegates from six continents in disciplines ranging from anthropology to the visual arts.

The conference runs from Wednesday 5 to Friday 7 July at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies building in Salamanca.

Conference convenor Associate Professor Elizabeth Leane said that non-scientific disciplines have an important contribution to make in understanding our relationship with Antarctica.

“Scientific efforts are crucial, but they do not produce a full picture,” Associate Professor Leane said.

“With tourist numbers increasing, more research stations being built, and reports of increased glacial melt appearing in the media almost daily, it’s clear that human behaviour, attitudes and perceptions play a big role in the Antarctic region.

“To have a full picture of this important place we need researchers from across the disciplinary spectrum working in cooperation.

“Hobart, which has such a long history as an Antarctic gateway, is an ideal place to hold this event,” Associate Professor Leane said.

The program of keynote speeches and sessions will cover a wide range of subjects, from narratives about Antarctic exploration to environmental issues, and from Antarctic governance to Hobart’s role as an Antarctic gateway.

An art exhibition by conference keynote speaker Professor Anne Noble is open to the public from 5 July until the 28^th in the IMAS Exhibition Space, open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.