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Summary
In the reporting about COVID-19 diplomacy, Antarctica has functioned as the exceptional — the only continent, thus far, not to record a single case of COVID-19, although cases were reported on Antarctic tourism vessels in the northern Antarctic Peninsula. For six decades, Antarctic governance has been an experiment in global democracy and diplomacy. Under the auspices of the Antarctic Treaty (1959) and associated legal instruments, all Consultative Parties from Argentina to Ukraine have the same fundamental rights to be engaged with the business of managing Antarctica. This essay speculates on ramifications of the pandemic for Antarctic governance and diplomacy. What are the implications when geographical distancing is joined by new forms of social distancing? Does the model of Antarctic governance and diplomacy still work? One possible future scenario is that conservation enforcement suffers because relevant parties refuse to accept the presence of others and weaponise public health to prevent public scrutiny.

This article considers the way in which recent commentators have represented Australia's relationship with Antarctica including current and future challenges. While successive Australian governments from the 1950s onwards have sought inter alia to develop and protect the country's southern oceanic and Antarctic interests, concern has persisted about the activities of other parties. The signing of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty helped to ensure that the territorial status quo prevailed with regard to the Australian Antarctic Territory. The entry of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS) into force in 1994 created new opportunities for further expressions of sovereign rights in this region. While mindful of the evolving legal geographies affecting Antarctica, our paper asks a series of questions about this relationship with the far south: how has Australian national identity been informed and influenced by Antarctic engagements? Will UNCLOS actually weaken the Antarctic Treaty System? Finally, do contemporary Australian pronouncements on the Antarctic hint at anxieties reminiscent of the 1950s? We conclude with a warning that nationalistic evocations may well unsettle a delicate balance concerning the Southern Ocean and disputed ownership of Antarctica.

The Antarctic and Southern Ocean are hotspots for contemporary endeavours to oversee 'the last frontier' of the earth.

1. The search for 'Antarctic security' / Donald R. Rothwell, Karen N. Scott and Alan D. Hemmings -- 2. Law and policy for Antarctic security : an analytical framework / Hitoshi Nasu -- 3. The Antarctic Treaty as a security construct / Donald R. Rothwell -- 4. Regime integrity qua Antarctic security : embedding global principles and universal values with the Antarctic Treaty System / Duncan French -- 5. Security beyond claims / Alan D. Hemmings -- 6. The Antarctic Peninsula : territory, sovereignty watch and the 'Antarctic problem' / Klaus Dodds -- 7. Strategic competition and emerging security risks : will Antarctica remain demilitarised? / Sam Bateman -- 8. Law enforcement in Antarctica / Donald R. Rothwell -- 9. Antarctic resources and human security / Caroline E. Foster -- 10. Delimitation of the continental shelves in the Antarctic Treaty area : lessons for regime, resource and environmental security / Mel Weber -- 11. Bioprospecting as a challenge to the Antarctic Treaty / Christopher C. Joyner -- 12. Marine resources management, security and the Antarctic Treaty System : an ongoing agenda? / Marcus Haward -- 13. Maritime security : investing in safe shipping operations to help prevent marine pollution / Julia Jabour -- 14. The Antarctic 'climate security' dilemma and the future of Antarctic governance / Sanjay Chaturvedi -- 15. Scientific rhetoric and Antarctic security / Karen N. Scott -- 16. The security challenge posed by scientific permit whaling and its opponents in the Southern Ocean / Joanna Mossop -- 17. Antarctic security in a global context / Alan D. Hemmings, Donald R. Rothwell and Karen N. Scott.

The Antarctic Treaty (1959) was adopted for the purpose of bringing peace and stability to Antarctica and to facilitate cooperation in scientific research conducted on and around the continent. It has now been over fifty years since the signing of the treaty, nevertheless security continues to drive and shape the laws and policy regime which governs the region. Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives assess Antarctic security from multiple legal and policy perspectives. This book reviews the existing security construct in Antar.