The Calotte Academy 2012 will be organized in May 28th - June 4th 2012 in Rovaniemi and Inari, Finland; Kiruna and Abisko, Sweden. The Calotte Academy is an annual travelling symposium for both academic and policyoriented discussion and dialogue between scholars, scientists and PhD students as well as other experts. It is implemented so that an international group of scholars, PhD students and other experts on the theme from Europe, North America and Russia have their presentations in the sessions of the different sites of the Academy. After each presentation there will be questions comments and open discussion on the matter, and lot of time for dialogue.

About the theme

The theme as well as focus of the 2012 Calotte Academy is ‘Water’ inspired by the fact that (fresh) water is the most important resource for human beings, and precondition for life, and health and well-being. It is also inspired by how water is in changing state from solid (ice or snow) to liquid (water) which exposes range of issues for Arctic futures, for resilience, adaptation, transformation in all, human and environmental security. Furthermore, although water is renewable natural resource, there is scarcity of fresh water in many, if not even most, parts of the globe due to  population pressures, environmental degradation and climate change(s). Finally, as consequence of all this, water is strategic resource causing competition and conflicts, and as seen as an attractive product for commercialization by private companies.

During the 2012 Academy ‘Water’ will be discussed on one hand from global and local context in the European North, and on the other hand, holistically from many angles and disciplinary approaches.

Water – globally and in North Calotte program draft and more information as PDF.