Antarctic representation in print media during the emergence of COVID-19

Abstract

Like every other continent in the world, Antarctica has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, in an imagined as well as a practical sense. Antarctica is a mediated experience; that is, most of us experience the place through films, novels, music, visual arts and the media. We present an analysis of media articles from eight countries over three time periods - pre-COVID-19 outbreak (October–December 2019), shortly after the pandemic hit the headlines (March–May 2020) and when the virus was established (October–December 2020) - to discover how COVID-19 may have changed Antarctic discourse. Our study shows that representations of Antarctica have been affected by the pandemic, in some instances reinforcing existing ideas and in other cases bringing new ideas to the fore. Based on our findings, we believe that COVID-19 has begun to change representations of Antarctica, stepping us away from the prevailing Antarctic hero narrative and providing a more contemporary understanding of the Antarctic experience. We argue that this may increase our motivation to engage with Antarctic issues, with associated implications for future global stewardship of the region.

Physiological evidence of stress reduction during a summer Antarctic expedition with a significant influence of previous experience and vigor

“…Furthermore, the implications of our research extend beyond specialized environments. The insights gained are informative for the general public affected by global crises, such as climate change-induced hostile environments 55 or individuals experiencing protective isolation measures during COVID-19-related 56 , 57 . Lastly, our results are relevant for long-duration spaceflight missions (LDSM).…”

How the COVID-19 pandemic signaled the demise of Antarctic exceptionalism

“…The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCPs) have repeatedly emphasized Antarctica's special status and have treated it as an exceptional region (19). This concept of Antarctic exceptionalism has not only been applied to Antarctic governance but has also been drawn on by the media to paint a picture of a cold, remote, desolate, and pure place in the far south (11). While scholars have argued more recently that environmental challenges, such as the climate crisis, and global political and financial challenges have eroded Antarctic exceptionalism by underscoring the interconnected and interdependent character of all parts of the world, the media in various countries have continued to reinforce Antarctica's position as an exceptional place, especially after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (11).…”

“…In this paper, we explore how the COVID-19 pandemic played out in Antarctica and unsettled decision-making processes. In addition to the impact of the pandemic on Antarctica and Antarctic operations (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11), the responses to these changes inform how the Antarctic discourse is changing globally. Drawing on international research efforts by the Antarctic community across the biophysical sciences, the social sciences and the humanities under a project supported by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), we utilize an extensive body of work to discuss how the pandemic has affected human engagement with the Antarctic.…”

“…This concept of Antarctic exceptionalism has not only been applied to Antarctic governance but has also been drawn on by the media to paint a picture of a cold, remote, desolate, and pure place in the far south ( 11 ). While scholars have argued more recently that environmental challenges, such as the climate crisis, and global political and financial challenges have eroded Antarctic exceptionalism by underscoring the interconnected and interdependent character of all parts of the world, the media in various countries have continued to reinforce Antarctica’s position as an exceptional place, especially after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic ( 11 ). This echoes the description in 1911 of Antarctica as “the only almost germ-free continent left” by the explorer Douglas Mawson, which has remained as cultural perception of the region up to and including the pandemic ( 20 ).…”

“…In December 2020, the virus was first recorded at an Antarctic station, when maintenance workers at the Chilean Bernardo O’Higgins Research Station (in the northwest Antarctic Peninsula) were confirmed to have been infected ( 10 , 11 , 23 ), with 58 cases eventually being reported. This marked the first official SARS-CoV-2 infections announced by a national Antarctic programme and represented an important milestone for the Antarctic continental landmass, which had, to that point, been free of the virus.…”