The north can be approached as a geographical direction or a more or less given area or physical place, but its meaning is also always formed culturally through ideas and representations both from within and from without. What the north means or is made to mean is constantly changing, taking on new shapes, expanding and contracting.
The network Representations of the North, coordinated by the Department of Language Studies, continues a long tradition of research on the north at the Humanities Faculty at Umeå University. Our researchers examine representations of the north in different media, generated within the north or by outside observers, and they approach language from a number of perspectives, again with emphasis on both internal and external sources. Environmental issues inform several discussions, and the situation in and function of specific northern locations are linked to a number of global challenges.
On May 15, 13.15-15.00 (HB210), we organize the first in a series of seminars designed to gather the faculty’s researchers with an interest in northern studies. The purpose is to get an updated view on what kind of research related to the north that is on-going at the faculty and identify possible points of contact leading to the establishment or strengthening of co-operations.
The presentations at the first seminar will be in Swedish, but coming activities will be designed also for colleagues who do not have Swedish as their working language.
See more about the program for this event on the Swedish site.