
doi: 10.7557/13.3070
handle: 10037/7333
The Spitsbergen (Svalbard) Question became an international political issue regarding the terra nullius status of the Arctic region in the light of growing commercial enterprise undertaken from 1898 onwards. The Spitsbergen Commission set up by the Peace Conference in Paris to resolve this question in the aftermath of the Great War awarded sovereignty to Norway. Elen C. Singh’s concept of the Spitsbergen Literature Lobby illustrates behind-the-scenes activity intent on resolving Spitsbergen sovereignty in favour of one particular nation, and/or securing the commercial interests of several nations. Documents analysed in this article include the initial Norwegian Government submission to the Peace Conference and the contemporaneous diary of one of its main compilers; Spitsbergen Literature Lobby texts cited by Singh, and other strategic texts published 1906-1919; and selected Spitsbergen texts published in the light of Norwegian sovereignty. Subject matter comprised Spitsbergen summaries, history (including Spitsbergen bibliographies), cartography, legal/political issues and commercial issues. The specific and general influence of the lobby and the expertise of its constituent authors is examined, as are their individual and collaborative literary efforts, as well as the rationale behind the selection of strategic texts and a summary of their time-scale, location and language of publication.
Arctic – Spitsbergen – Svalbard – Spitsbergen Question – Spitsbergen sovereignty – Spitsbergen Literature Lobby – Spitsbergen Commission – Paris Peace Conference., PT8301-9155, VDP::Humaniora: 000::Historie: 070::Moderne historie (etter 1800): 083, VDP::Humanities: 000::History: 070::Modern history (after 1800): 083, Norwegian literature
Arctic – Spitsbergen – Svalbard – Spitsbergen Question – Spitsbergen sovereignty – Spitsbergen Literature Lobby – Spitsbergen Commission – Paris Peace Conference., PT8301-9155, VDP::Humaniora: 000::Historie: 070::Moderne historie (etter 1800): 083, VDP::Humanities: 000::History: 070::Modern history (after 1800): 083, Norwegian literature
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 1 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
