This is a completely fascinating situation, Ben. I am wondering, however, in which aspects you are most interested. You have selected two areas that both lie outside of national claims made by any one country. (right?) why? what can happen in this type of "no man's land" that cannot happen elsewhere? You might examine other nml's - and especially the status/rights of the "visitor" while in these conditions. Or maybe it’s about the development of outposts? (two films of possible interest: Werner Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World" which gives you a glimpse into the daily life of the Antarctic scientists; Spielberg's "The Terminal" which examines the situation of an immigrant stuck in limbo in an airport - not such a great movie really, but points to existence in these strange limbo spaces.
You also allude to touristic, climatic, and topographic conditions. Is this more your interest? ...the diplomacy of how we engage with extreme physical conditions?... given our present understanding of the global climatic changes?
Lastly, I was interested in hearing that there is not official currency or language. How is this situation dealt with? Are there other cultural negotiations happening? Perhaps some of them are spatial?
This is a completely fascinating situation, Ben. I am wondering, however, in which aspects you are most interested. You have selected two areas that both lie outside of national claims made by any one country. (right?) why? what can happen in this type of "no man's land" that cannot happen elsewhere? You might examine other nml's - and especially the status/rights of the "visitor" while in these conditions. Or maybe it’s about the development of outposts? (two films of possible interest: Werner Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World" which gives you a glimpse into the daily life of the Antarctic scientists; Spielberg's "The Terminal" which examines the situation of an immigrant stuck in limbo in an airport - not such a great movie really, but points to existence in these strange limbo spaces.
ReplyDeleteYou also allude to touristic, climatic, and topographic conditions. Is this more your interest? ...the diplomacy of how we engage with extreme physical conditions?... given our present understanding of the global climatic changes?
Lastly, I was interested in hearing that there is not official currency or language. How is this situation dealt with? Are there other cultural negotiations happening? Perhaps some of them are spatial?