A Few Acres of Ice: Environment, Sovereignty, and "Grandeur" in the French Antarctic

A Few Acres of Ice is a book that looks at France's complex relationship with Antarctica, from the sixteenth-century search for Terra Australis to its role today as one of seven states claiming part of the white continent. It explores the political, commercial, and religious challenges of exploration and the interaction between environmental concerns and geopolitical realities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 276 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2023
Publisher: Cornell University Press

A Few Acres of Ice is a comprehensive exploration of France's intricate relationship with the Antarctic, spanning from the early sixteenth-century quest for Terra Australis by French navigators to France's current status as one of seven nations asserting territorial claims over a portion of the white continent. Janet Martin-Nielsen delves into the realms of environment, sovereignty, and science to unveil the multifaceted challenges of exploration, including the political, commercial, and religious dimensions, as well as the interplay between environmental concerns in polar regions and the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century.

Martin-Nielsen meticulously details France's efforts (and occasional shortcomings) in asserting sovereignty over Terre Adélie, encompassing the territory's integration into France's colonial empire and its pivotal role in elevating the environmental stakes in Antarctic politics. Consequently, A Few Acres of Ice sheds valuable light on how Terre Adélie has shaped human perceptions and been constructed through human agency, both during and prior to its discovery.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501772108