Seattle University School of Law is pleased to announce a Call for Papers for its upcoming interdisciplinary program: The Arctic Encounter Symposium, Feb. 7-8, 2014.
We are seeking paper and poster presentations from a wide variety of scholars in the fields of law, the sciences, or social science on issues relating to the Arctic. In addition to presenting at the symposium, scholars papers may also be published in one of the journals co-hosting the conference. Posters will be presented throughout the conference.
Please send an abstract or poster proposal, by November 30th, 2013, of no more than 500 words and a current CV to Dr. Deirdre Bowen at dbowen@seattleu.edu.
Emerging Challenges & Sustainable Solutions
Climate change is causing the Arctic ice cap to melt at an unprecedented rate, radically changing the landscape of the high north. The impact of such warming is altering the ecosystems of the Arctic. Industries across the globe are now looking to invest in the legendary potential of the Arctic, previously inaccessible and largely unexplored. Melting sea ice has opened viable shipping corridors, such as the renowned Northern Sea Route, saving thousands of miles in travel time for trade and maritime transportation between the Pacific and the Atlantic. The rising sea level is eroding thousands of miles of coastline. Energy firms are rushing to explore the large estimated reserves of untapped oil and gas while many environmental groups are calling for preservation. Meanwhile, the world is looking to the Arctic nations and the United Nations to decipher what a future Arctic will look like.
The time to start shaping the future of the Arctic in a responsible and sustainable way is now. It is imperative for policy makers, indigenous leaders, military officials, environmentalists, and other experts to collaborate on solutions to address these challenges now. Participating in and facilitating such dialogue is increasingly important as the world turns its focus to the high north. Therefore, we encourage papers, posters, and proposals on the following topics. By no means, however, is this list designed to be exclusive.
- Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic and Indigenous Rights
- Global Trade and Shipping in the Arctic
- The state of international law as it relates to the Arctic
- The Law of the Sea Treaty and/or National Security in the Far North
- The International Seabed Authority and Policy
- Climate Change as it affects the Arctic and beyond
- Military implications of access to the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route
- Energy Exploration and Offshore Drilling in the Arctic
- Ecosystem Mediation in the face of climate change
- Preservation Policy considerations in the Arctic
The deadline for abstracts and poster proposals is November 30, 2013.
Please direct any questions to ArcticEncounterSymposium@seattleu.edu.
mw
