ISLAND DYNAMICS

3rd Island Dynamics Conference

7‒12 May 2013, Mariehamn, Åland (Finland)

At the 3rd Island Dynamics Conference, representatives from academia, government, business, and the third sector will explore island and maritime issues, past and present, worldwide. The conference theme is interdisciplinary island studies: A track of presentations will be dedicated to combining the methodologies and topics of different disciplines. Owe Ronström and Lee Haring are keynote speakers.

Download conference flyer.

Collaborating Partners

Åland International Institute of Comparative Island Studies (AICIS)

Centre for Maritime and Regional Studies, University of Southern Denmark

Centre for Nordic Studies, UHI Millennium Institute

Åland: The idyllic hub of the Baltic.

Åland is at once an idyllic rural archipelago and a vibrant centre of shipping and commerce. Historically Swedish, the islands passed to Russia, then became an autonomous part of Finland. Still largely Swedish-speaking, Åland’s culture mirrors its political identity: The islands are governed by their own parliament and are a demilitarised zone with special European Union status.

The Russian-built capital, Mariehamn (population 11,000), is a European city in miniature, combining sophisticated cafe culture, tree-lined streets, and salty maritime quarters. Outside Mariehamn, Medieval churches, a castle, and a 19th-Century fortress attest to Åland’s rich history. In the wider archipelago (consisting of over 6000 islands), land dapples the sea, and farmhouses and boathouses exist in sublime unity with the gentle landscape.