When the Arctic is mentioned, what comes to mind?
By Bergur Djurhuus Hansen, Lead of the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Cultures and History (ARCH), Dean, Associate Professor of Literature, University of the Faroe Islands
We recognize the glow in the eyes of academics, politicians, and other policy makers when questions about the Arctic are raised. But what are the prevailing images and narratives connected to the region? How were these narratives constructed, and whose voices do they represent? Which are the connections between old narratives and present challenges? How and to which extent are they reflected in cultural and artistic expressions in the region today?
These questions lay behind the establishment of the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Cultures and History (ARCH) in 2022. The network is part of the field of research commonly known as Arctic humanities which focuses on the human, cultural, historical, and artistic dimensions of the Arctic. Emphasizing history, the network brings into view a rich and fascinating trail of societal developments and cultural exchanges in the region, evident in narratives about encounters between the region and visitors from afar.
Activities of the network mainly include conferences, papers, and publications with a connection to teaching at the universities involved and feeding programs such as the Arctic Studies Master’s program in English at Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines as well as history or literary studies elsewhere where Arctic-related issues are integrated in running programs. An important aim of the network is the education of future researchers and decision makers.
The members of the network represent universities across the Arctic and Nordic regions from Greenland to Iceland, Finland, the Faroe Islands, and Sweden, as well as European and American universities such as Université du Québec à Montréal, Yale University, University of St Andrews, and the University of Washington. Many of the participating members are involved in the publication of the book series Arctic Humanities at Brill publications, edited by the network’s Vice-Lead Jan Borm. The series has thus far published three volumes.
In October 2025, the network organized a two-day conference in Versailles, and on the third day joined the Blue Humanities project at Sorbonne University for a dedicated afternoon seminar. The conference at Versailles explored the “mineral Arctic,” focusing on stones and cliffs understood both as an idea, image, and as potential resources, and more abstractly as symbols of both emptiness, desolation and fullness, richness. Participants included professors of history and literature, art historians, curators, and PhD and MA students. The outcome of the conference will be disseminated through a range of channels, with the most substantial contributions published in the 2026 issue of the online journal Inter-Nord.
In addition to its activities in research and teaching, an overall objective of the network is to raise awareness of cultural and historical issues in a context increasingly dominated by discussions on energy, military tensions, new shipping routes, and access to minerals. In October 2025, members of the network convened a session at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík, Iceland.
To further engage students and future decision makers, the University of Versailles, in cooperation with the Malaurie Institute of Arctic Research, organized an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme in June 2025. It was especially aimed at young researchers (MA and PhD) to learn more about the circulation of knowledge between Europe and the Arctic and current challenges in conducting respectful and mutually beneficial cooperation with Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic.
The UArctic Congress 2026 will involve many of the members of the ARCH network, the lead of the network being from the University of the Faroe Islands which hosts the event. In an array of sessions and lectures on energy and geopolitics, the network will raise awareness about culture, artistic expressions, the human beings, and ordinary life in the Arctic region.
Photo: Lars Kullerud
UArctic Thematic Networks are independent and thematically focused networks of experts in specific areas of northern relevance. They collaborate in developing research, implementing educational activities, and strengthening knowledge exchange across the circumpolar region.
