The International Polar Year (IPY) offers an opportunity to enhance international cooperation in a multidisciplinary approach.
Six scientific themes have been developed for IPY 2007-2008. Theme 6,
To investigate the cultural, historical, and social processes that shape the sustainability of circumpolar human societies, and to identify their unique contributions to global cultural diversity and citizenship
covers the human and social science subjects. In this field only one Dutch lead project has got endorsement of both the IPY Joint Committee, the International Council of Science (ICSU) and the Word Meteorological Organisation (WMO). This lead project is our LASHIPA project: LArge Scale Historical Exploitation of Polar Areas - LASHIPA.
Former coal mine in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Current inhabitants of Stromness whaling station on South Georgia
The LASHIPA project will study the various settlements/stations (hunting, whaling, mining and research) from a bipolar, international and comparative perspective. Data obtained from field and archive research will be compared with each other to acquire more knowledge about the history of scientific research and the exploitation of the natural resources, the impact on the natural environment and the indigenous peoples.
Finally, the geopolitical consequences of the settlements / stations will be studied using written and material sources.
Whalers Bay, Deception Island, South Shetlands
Remains of the Amsterdam blubber ovens on Smeerenburg
For more information on LASHIPA, please, visit the LASHIPA site, www.lashipa.nl
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