The International Scientific and Practical Conference “Polar Readings” is held every year on the eve of the Icebreaker festival on the Neva River. The world’s first Icebreaker festival took place in 2014 under the leadership of the working group responsible for organising the “Polar Readings” conference.
The theme of the Polar Readings conference changes every year. Each year’s theme is carefully chosen as to reflect the most pressing issues in the world of polar studies.
The conference’s main focus is on historical and cultural research, nevertheless, the chosen topics are not limited to these two subjects. This two-day conference brings together researchers, various specialists, and many interested listeners. All the research and presentations are published in the conference proceedings after the conference. Several thematic exhibitions are also held during the conference.
Past conferences
- Polar Readings 2013: «Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago: Discovery, Research, and Modernity (100th anniversary of Boris Vilkitsky scientific expedition)»
- Polar Readings 2014: «Russia’s Icebreakers Fleet: History and Development Prospects»
- Polar Readings 2015: «The Arctic during the Great Patriotic War»
- Polar Readings 2016: «Cultural Heritage in the Arctic: Study, Conservation, and Promotion»
- Polar Readings 2017: «Museums in the Arctic and Arctic in the Museums»
- Polar Readings 2018: «Practices and Equipment in Arctic Exploration»
- Polar Readings 2019: «Practices and equipment in Arctic exploration»
- Polar Readings 2020:«State and public organisations in the management of the Arctic: past, present, future»
- Polar Readings 2021: «Art exploration of the Arctic: Polar Regions in culture, art and philosophy»
- Polar Readings 2022: «International cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic: History and modernity»
Polar Readings – 2023
XI “Polar Readings” will be devoted to the history and anthropology of everyday life in the Arctic and Antarctic, the study and understanding of the polar regions as a space for human habitation and activity – from the practices of indigenous peoples to promising projects of organizing life in the polar regions. This topic seems to be especially important for Russia, which has both vast experience in Arctic exploration and an Antarctic national program, and traditionally perceives the North as an organic, integral continuation of the country.
Specialists, researchers of the Arctic and Antarctic from research institutes, archives, museums, libraries, representatives of state and public organizations are invited to participate in the conference.
In this regard, on November 1-03, 2023 in St. Petersburg on the basis of the Arctic and Antarctic research Institute (AARI) will be held the next “Polar readings”.
Conference organizers:
The conference is hosted jointly by the Museum and Exhibition Center for Technical and Technological Development of the Arctic (Arctic Museum and Exhibition Center), the State Scientific Center “Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute” and Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera)
Conference partners:
- St. Petersburg Arctic Affairs Committee;
- Branch of the Museum of the World Ocean in St. Petersburg – “Icebreaker Krasin “;
- Russian State Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic;
- Maritime Heritage Association;
- PJSC Sovcomflot;
- ZAO “SMM”.
The following areas expected for the conference:
- The peoples of the North – traditional and modern practices of everyday life.
The Arctic and Antarctica as a space of life. - Everyday life of polar expeditions: history and modernity.
- The Arctic for Russia: rotational development or a natural continuation of the country?
- Ensuring human life in the Arctic and Antarctic: the history of the development of polar infrastructures from the Stone Age to the present.
- The history of the Arctic everyday life of Russia and foreign countries in various aspects: housing, transport, clothing, food.
- Polar wintering as a human test: historical and anthropological aspects.
- Polar everyday life and war: from the Stone Age to the armed conflicts of our time.
- Ritual as part of the daily practices of the polar regions.
- Anthropology of everyday life of Arctic cities and towns.
- Polar stations in an anthropological perspective.
- Polar everyday life of the future.
Based on the materials of the conference, the publication of the collection is planned.
The deadline for submitting applications for participation and abstracts (up to 500 words) is until September 1, 2023. In the application for participation in the conference, please include the title of the report, your coordinates (place of work, position, academic degree and title, phone, fax, and e-mail). Abstracts will be published on the Polar Readings website. With the application and abstracts, the manuscripts are accepted for publication. The final submission deadline is December 1, 2023
How to get there?
The conference will be held at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
St. Petersburg, 38 Bering str.
Contacts
Filin Pavel Anatolievich
+7-911-915-96-90
Emelina Margarita Alexandrovna
+7-911-133-27-91
Savinov Mikhail Avinirovich
+7-921-442-46-41
Requirements for Submitting Articles
Papers are accepted prior to each year’s conference. The application for participation in the conference, please include the name of the report.Texts of the reports up to 15 pages in Word, font Times New Roman, size 12, interval 1,5. Black-and-white photographs, drawings, charts in JPEG format (minimum 300 dpi), no more than 5 fig.; with a legend under each figure; within the text should be indicated by reference to the fig., eg. (photo 1). Links and references are made using footnotes.
Abstract: should be no more than 300 words and translated into English. It should also include title of the article, the author's data, abstract and keywords.
The final deadline for submitting the texts of articles is December 1, 2023.
Acceptance is contingent on the final article meeting peer-review standards and, with regards to consistency with the themes outlined in the submitted abstract, and the organising committee approval of the article. Examples of accepted publications from previous conferences can be found here.