Nothing About Antarctica Without Antarctica
Year: 2026
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: In line with a global movement advocating for the rights of nature, this chapter examines the claim that Antarctica as one thriving community of life should be considered as the subject of political and legal representation. It presents some defences for the rights of natural entities in domestic constituencies and points to important differences between them and the Antarctic case. It discusses the political, legal, and institutional challenges of considering Antarctica as a political and legal subject. Among them: how to challenge the monopoly of states as decision-makers, how to pick nature’s representatives, and how to modify existing institutions and create new ones to make this representation possible. The promise of moving in this direction, the chapter argues, is to overcome methodological anthropocentrism and methodological nationalism in international law, building a precedent for the representation of other natural entities and places beyond Antarctica.
Source: Oxford University Press eBooks
Author: Alejandra Mancilla
Language: English
Topic: Environmental law and policy
Subfield: Law
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus
OpenAlex ID: W7160920203