I am over the moon this is now available to read. In the paper I argue that engaging practices of humility can offer a number of potential plus points within academia and to people academics work with. For me, humility is a thinking tool and an ongoing journey of practice and learning. The paper stems… Read More
I’m very happy this edited collection is finally out in the world and on library shelves. It was a long haul, my first as an editor, but we made it! Value has been my thinking companion throughout my Svalbard research. You can see how I apply this in my own contribution to the book. What… Read More
My resarch has taken quite a close, critical eye to environmental decision making in the recent past in Svalbard. Now a new consultation has opened up, the Governor’s office are requesting inputs into the latest area in Svalbard to have an environmental management plan devised – cental Spitsbergen. This area includes the areas in the… Read More
Tourism has become a linchpin to Longyearbyen’s community and economy over the last decade, with rapid growth in the last 5 years inparticular. Whilst thinking through these changes I saw a call for a conference asking for presenters speaking on the topic of ‘Overtourism’. I wondered, can we really call tourism in Longyearbyen overtourism, has… Read More
Throughout my PhD I found that making contacts with colleagues also working the Polar Regions was extremely helpful. Some of the positives were practical: advice and help with logistics and access to field sites, discovering useful existing research or providing key cultural contexts to my findings. There was also a pastoral element to this as… Read More
It was a great privilege to present my work to a good crowd at Longyearbyen library last night. I walked folks through my PhD at quite a pace (I think they kept up!) and introduced what I am doing in town now. If you missed it, well now you have to read the whole thing,… Read More
My first full day in Longyearbyen yesterday was a jam packed one. First up was a meeting with a fellow social scientist, Dina, with similar interests as myself and who is connecting the growing group of us working in Svalbard, which is a great new development! Next a trip to the library, which since my… Read More
The flights are booked, the diary is filling up. After 4 years, it is time to return to the scene. Next week, 31st January, I begin a 3 week re-visit to Svalbard. One of the goals of the Svalbard Futures project is to share the findings from my PhD research and to talk through how… Read More
This year the PhD finally became 100% official, I have the piece of paper! Two years on from submission I am now back to thinking all things Svalbard again. I am extremely grateful to have won funding from the Economic and Social Research Council to develop my doctoral research and myself as an academic over… Read More
May 19th 2017 was the day I had been dreading for nearly 4 and a half years, v-day, judgement day, the PhD ‘defense’ or viva voce as we still call it…And it was fine. Despite inviting some very senior and amazing geographers to read it (who I had never met, deeply respect and was in… Read More
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