ICASS VI


No more news will be added to this page. All new announcements regarding
the ICASS VI will be published on www.icass.gl.
___________________________________________

March 18, 2008

Dear all,

It is with great pleasure that we invite participants for ICASS VI
to register at www.icass.gl

At this site you can also find a page with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact
the secretariat at jack@adm.uni.gl

Best regards
Birger Poppel
congress convener
___________________________________________


Sixth Announcement - Updted - March 14, 2008

Sixth Announcement with travel explanation 12th March (PDF file)

Please note that the information given on transportation in the first 6th announcement has been revised in this 6th announcement. Tuesday 11 March Air Greenland informed that all flights between Baltimore and Greenland in 2008 have been cancelled.
This will make it a bit of a logistical challenge in order for all potential participants from North America to arrive in Greenland, but we are looking into other ways to have participants flown to Greenland .
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Sixth Announcement - Updted - March 7, 2008

Sixth Announcement with travel explanation 7th March (PDF file)
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Sixth Announcement - March 4, 2008

Sixth Announcement with travel explanation (PDF file)
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Fifth Announcement - Updated - January 21, 2008

Fifth Announcement with fee explanation (PDF file)
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Fifth Announcement - December 17, 2007

Fifth Announcement (PDF file)
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Fourth Announcement - August 2007

Sixth International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences

ICASS VI in Nuuk, Greenland, August 22-26, 2008 – new conference dates!

In exactly 13 months from the time of this writing, most of the IASSA constituency, hopefully, will be gathered in Nuuk for the ICASS VI to do presentations, to discuss research projects and findings, to consolidate existing networks and develop new ones within the Arctic social sciences, with colleagues from other research disciplines and with indigenous and other Arctic residents.

Being the major activity gathering arctic researchers from the humanities and social sciences in the International Polar Year, the IASSA council decided to propose ICASS VI as an IPY activity and at the end of November 2005. ICASS VI was among the first initiatives to be endorsed as an IPY activity. This decision has been proven right so far as the IPY endorsement has opened doors to funding that otherwise might have been more difficult to access.

The work so far has been focussing primarily on fundraising, calling for session proposals, and taking some basic planning and organising initiatives. We have succeeded getting funding for most of the administrative and logistical preparations but still need funding – especially to be able to offer some travel grants to those who will not be able to access other sources of funding.


Facts and dates about ICASS VI

When: August 22-26, 2008 – new dates!

The dates for ICASS VI in Nuuk were originally announced as August 25-29, 2008. Please note that this has been changed to August 22-26. We apologise for the schedule change and the inconvenience this might cause. The change of dates is due to necessary alignment with the Air Greenland flight schedule for the new route between the US and Greenland flying between Baltimore and Kangerlussuaq. This direct route will only be available for participants on Thursdays until August 28 which is why the conference had to be moved by 3 days. Day of departure from Baltimore will be on Thursday the 21 st and the return flight from Greenland on Thursday 28th.

Please be aware that both the 22 nd and the 26 th are conference days.

The reason why the congress lasts longer than usual is our intention to include special sessions and research team gatherings related to international research projects. At the same time it is our hope that the extra time will make it possible to enjoy being in Nuuk and facilitate cross boundary networking.

Where: Nuuk

Most of the sessions and workshops will take place at Ilimmarfik, the new university campus that is about to be completed by the end of August, 2007. Plenary sessions will be held in Katuaq, the community centre in Nuuk, and some activities will be carried through at other research institutions and educational establishments in Nuuk (transportation will be arranged for).

Sessions and workshops

In the two latest issues of the newsletter we urged all project leaders to submit ideas and thoughts for workshops and sessions. The result has been very encouraging as we have received 49 proposals (of which one out of four are IPY endorsed activities) of sessions and workshops from as many project leaders from 13 different countries. The proposals cover a variety of disciplines and subject areas including: Material culture/archaeology; human ecology, economic development, the mixed subsistence based economies, living conditions, community viability, climate change and impacts on communities, politics, justice and governance, culture, religion, history, research strategies, language, literature and media as well as special focus sessions on young researchers, outreach and education.

We had planned to announce the approved sessions and workshops in this newsletter. We expect all proposed themes to be included in the final program. To get as much synergy out of the sessions and workshops as possible we plan, though, to cluster some of the proposed sessions. The approved sessions will be announced in the second half of September as a part of the fifth announcement (se below). Session and workshop organisers have received confirmation that we have received their proposals, and we would like to thank all of you.

Cultural events at ICASS VI

As we informed you in the last newsletter it is our intention to make ICASS VI not only a forum for Arctic social science but also an experience of Arctic cultural life in all its diverse forms of expression. We have received a little funding to implement this ambition but we will take the opportunity in this newsletter too to encourage all who have ideas for events and/or contacts to artists of all kinds from around the Arctic to let us know. Please contact us at iassa@ilisimatusarfik.gl with ideas and inspiration for the planning of the ICASS VI cultural program.

ICASS VI Announcement on the IASSA web site – the fifth announcement

The next announcement will be presented in the second half of September on the IASSA web site, and it will be preceded by a message on IASSA.Net. The 5 th announcement will include:

• Registration form (conference participation; transportation to/from Nuuk; accommodation in Nuuk;
• Announcement of the approved sessions;
• First call for papers.

We are trying to ensure easy access at affordable prices through negotiations with different carriers and we suspect that we will be able to offer travels out of North America and out of Europe directly to Greenland .

All accommodation in Nuuk is booked for ICASS VI participants (more information will follow).

We will keep you updated via IASSA.Net and the IASSA web site www.iassa.gl and urge you to contact us with any question, comment or proposal you might have in relation to ICASS VI.

We are looking forward to welcome you in Nuuk next August.

Birger Poppel – IASSA Vice president

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Third announcement - December 2006

IASSA is pleased to announce the exact dates of ICASS VI in this IASSA Newsletter. Please be aware that both August 25th and August 29th are conference days. The General assembly will take place in the middle of week.

The reason that the congress lasts longer than usual is our intention to include special sessions and research team gatherings related to international research projects. At the same time it is our hope that the extra time will make it possible to enjoy being in Nuuk and facilitate cross boundary networking.

Call for sessions in the last issue of Northern Notes
In the last issue of the newsletter we urged all project leaders to submit ideas and thoughts for workshops and sessions by mid-September 2006. We have since then received 19 proposals of sessions and workshops from projects leaders around the world. We have sent a confirmation to everyone who submitted proposals that we have received their proposals but we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have been so kind to let us know of their intentions at this early stage.

It is still possible to propose sessions and workshops until March 1st 2007
Leaders of IPY projects who are still applying for funding are encouraged to include funding for a meeting of their research team at ICASS in their application, and to announce their intention to the IASSA secretariat even if the funding is not yet secured.
The next issue of the newsletter will announce all approved sessions.

Cultural events at ICASS VI
We hope to be able to make ICASS VI not only a forum for Arctic social science but also an experience of Arctic cultural life in all its diverse forms of expression. We therefore encourage all who have ideas for events and/or contacts to artists of all kinds from around the Arctic to let us know. Please contact us at iassa@ilisimatusarfik.gl with ideas and inspiration for the planning of the ICASS VI cultural program.

Next ICASS VI Announcement
T he next announcement will be presented in the summer 2007 issue of the IASSA newsletter. The 4th announcement will include the announcement of the approved sessions and the first call for papers.
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Second announcement - June 2006

The Sixth International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS VI)
will take place in Nuuk, Greenland, during the last week of August, 2008

Although ICASS VI is a little more than two years ahead, we encourage everyone to contribute your ideas and thoughts about themes of special interest for sessions and workshops at the Congress. Please send a mail to iassa@ilisimatusarfik.gl.

More information about the organisation of ICASS VI, including deadlines, practical matters and funding opportunities will be provided in the next issue of this Newsletter.

For the time being, though, we are happy to inform our North American colleagues that a direct connection between Baltimore and Greenland is planned to start in the summer of 2007. This, definitely, will make the travelling part of participating in ICASS VI easier—if not cheaper.

First call for sessions
to IPY and other research project leaders planning to attend ICASS VI

ICASS VI has already been endorsed as an International Polar Year (IPY) activity by the IPY joint Committee. As it will take place in the second half of the Polar Year, this congress will offer various venues for IPY scholars, other northern researchers, and local participants to analyze the progress of IPY 2007-2008 in social, human, and related fields. This includes special project sessions, discussion panels, plenary presentations, invited talks by the leading IPY scientists and representatives of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, public meetings. Sessions and panels at the ICASS VI will be framed along major IPY research fields and initiatives, with broad international and interdisciplinary participation. For many international network projects, ICASS sessions will offer the only chance for face-to-face discussions, as participants from many countries and regions may have limited contacts in the field and across the boundaries. Special efforts will be made to ensure the presence of as many project collaborators from arctic communities, as possible.

We have already received information from several IPY-projects, BOREAS and other project leaders that they plan to arrange special project sessions, discussion panels and workshops at ICASS VI.

We kindly urge all project leaders planning to arrange workshops etc. to inform the organisers, by sending a mail to iassa@ilisimatusarfik.gl no later than September 15, about:
• the planned activity and expected title of the session;
• the expected number of participants;
• whether you have secured, or will apply for funding for such a meeting: how many participants does this funding cover?
• whether you foresee problems obtaining travel funding for all participants of your group.

The reason for this question is – apart from our goal to do the utmost to make everything work – that the IASSA leadership plans to co-ordinate funding efforts if possible and expedient. It is therefore very important for us to know your plans as early as possible.

Birger Poppel
Convener of ICASS VI
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First announcement - February 2006
ICASS VI is going to take place in Nuuk, Greenland, in 2008

The IASSA board has decided that the
ICASS VI is going to be held in Nuuk, Greenland, in 2008.

The working title for ICASS VI is “Circumpolar Social Changes: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Sciences in the International Polar Year 2007-2008”.

So far the International Congresses of Arctic Social Sciences have been held triennially, but for two main reasons the 6th Congress is not following this scheme:

1  To be meaningful in relation to the IPY process – the Congress should be held not earlier than half way through the IPY.

2  The venue chosen: Ilimmarfik, Greenland's contribution to Arctic social sciences in the Polar Year, is planned to be ready to receive the Congress at the earliest February/March 2008. Ilimmarfik will be a centre for education, research, documentation and communication. Ilimmarfik will be housing eight institutions: the University of Greenland (Ilisimatusarfik), the National School of Social Work (Isumaginninnermik Siunnersortinngorniat Ilinniarfiat), the School of Journalism (Tusagassiornermik Ilinniarfik), the Centre for Teacher Development (Inerisaavik), The National Library (Groenlandica), Statistics Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaanni Naatsorsueqqissaartarfik), The National Archive (Nunatta Allagaateqarfik), and the Language Secretariat (Oqaasileriffik).

Hence the Congress will be held either during the first half of May or very late August 2008. The final dates will depend on when it will be possible to attract most participants, to ensure best possible accommodation and the all together most cost-efficient arrangement. The exact dates will be announced before April 1 this year.

ICASS VI has already been endorsed as an IPY project by the IPY joint Committee. Being an IPY project and taking place in the second half of the Polar Year, ICASS VI will offer various venues for IPY scholars, other northern researchers, and local participants to analyze the progress of IPY 2007-2008 in social and human fields. This includes special project sessions, discussion panels, plenary presentations, invited talks by the leading IPY scientists and representatives of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, public meetings. Sessions and panels at the ICASS VI will be framed along major IPY research fields and initiatives, with the broad international and interdisciplinary participation. For many international network projects, ICASS sessions will offer the only chance for face-to-face discussions, as participants from many countries and regions may have limited contacts in the field and across the boundaries. Special efforts will be made to ensure presence of as many project collaborators from arctic communities, as possible. Having ICASS VI held in Nuuk, the capital of the only indigenous self-governing Arctic country, will give an unprecedented voice to polar residents and indigenous peoples.

Despite the IPY focus it is important to stress that all Arctic social scientists are most welcome to present their research and participate in the discussions no matter their affiliation to IPY activities.

So far it has been decided that the organisation of ICASS VI will be made up as follows:

The IASSA council (members from 5 Arctic countries) is responsible for organizing the International Congress of Artic Social Sciences, ICASS, on behalf of IASSA.

The council forms a research board that will be overall responsible for the ICASS VI.

An ICASS VI local organising committee headed by the IASSA vice-president - including both indigenous and non-indigenous researchers - will be established in Nuuk with members from Ilisimatusarfik, University of Greenland and other Greenland research institutions as well as from the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, ICC.

A secretary has been hired in the beginning of 2005 to serve the IASSA constituency and, if needed more staff will be employed to support the organising committee. Later in the preparatory process a Secretariat will be established to run the ICASS VI.

Gradually, keynote speakers, session-chairpersons, and presenters of papers and poster sessions will be included in the preparatory process.

Birger Poppel, vice president of IASSA – in co-operation with the IASSA board, the local organising committee, the IASSA-secretariat as well as with the different working groups – is the convener of ICASS VI.

Birger Poppel
Vice president of IASSA and Convener of ICASS VI

Nuuk, January 2006

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For more information about ICASS VI please contact Birger Poppel or IASSA secretary Janus Chemnitz Kleist.

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 This page was last modified March 18, 2008 by Klaus Georg Hansen