Working Together on Arctic History
05.11.2008 - Human Dimension, Other, Arctic
Lead by a Florida State University researcher, an international team of historians is currently working to produce one of the most comprehensive histories of the Arctic. "What we're doing is looking at the Arctic from a comparative international perspective," says Ronald E. Doel, associate professor of history at FSU and leader of the project.
The project "Colony, Empire, Environment: A Comparative International History of Twentieth Century Arctic Science" aims to gather the various histories of the Arctic that have been written from various national perspectives (Canada, United States, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Norway) and bring them together into one report.
The report will focus on:
- how perceptions of the Arctic have changed from the period of colonization to the Cold War, and to the present day;
- the region's military value;
- the increasing autonomy of indigenous peoples;
- history of science and technology in the Arctic;
- perceptions of the environment and how they have changed over time;
Aside from the extensive and comprehensive research that will come out of this project is the rare opportunity for international historians to work together.
