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HOMER 2020 - Session 3: Islands: isolation or interconnection?

Islands and islets are often environments that have a remarkably well-preserved archaeological heritage. Many have been safeguarded from destructive human activities, while some sites have been covered by sandy dunes which have fossilized them. Islands can thus testify to the intense occupation of the land from prehistoric times to the last century.

Many islands and islets are also strategic points for observing or controlling the local maritime area, and the activities of island populations are closely linked to the evolution of local navigation and wider geostrategic politics. These factors have influenced the installation of a wide range of structures, from ports and commercial developments to military installations and residential areas.

Insularity can create an embracing culture, or it can lead to a withdrawn environment that combines security and insecurity. The central question is to know whether human occupation of islands results in isolation, or whether the inhabitants feel a close connection with neighbouring places and the world. What are the peculiarities of island areas? Are these peculiarities merely material, or are they grounded in cultural reality? How is the sea perceived? Is it a space that separates, or an environment that connects? And what is the level of communication between an island, other islands - especially in archipelagoes, and the continent beyond? We invite papers that will tackle these and related topics.