The symposium focuses on cultural, economic, political, religious, social and other phenomena that affect the region and its relationships with the surrounding world. For example, these themes can be approached from the following viewpoints, among others:
- The Barents and the Baltic Sea region as a concept: under what preconditions could the region be said to form a whole? Or does it form an entity at all?
- The Barents and the Baltic Sea region in the eyes of its inhabitants and/or others: what kind of interests have been shown towards the region and what importance has been accorded to the area? What mental images does the region evoke?
- Critical resources in the region: what conditions and factors in particular have enabled and influenced human communities?
- The spread of influences and innovations in various walks of life to and within the Barents and the Baltic Sea region
- The development of contacts and cooperation within the area; acculturation and the intersection and blending of cultures
- Conflicts and disputes in the area; cultural differentiation; the formation of hierarchies and the exercise of power
- Comparison of the Barents and the Baltic Sea region to other Arctic areas
- Arctic- and Nordic-related issues in other areas
The keynote speakers of the symposium are Professor Lars Elenius from the Umeå University and Professor Anssi Paasi from the University of Oulu.
We invite scholars from all disciplines to discuss the symposium themes. We ask you to kindly submit your proposals by 30 June 2015. The maximum length of the proposals is one page.
Proposals and any enquiries are to be sent to Professor Kari Alenius:
kari.alenius@oulu.fi