"Slippery Sources: Some Pages from the First Atlas of Siberia" with guest speaker Dr. Erika Monahan
Schedule
Thu Feb 19 2026 at 04:30 pm to 06:00 pm
UTC-09:00Location
UAF Schaible Auditorium | Fairbanks, AK
Advertisement
Ice formations, like maps, are slippery phenomena. In this talk, Dr. Erika Monahan walks us through what a few seventeenth century maps might tell us about the history of sea ice, considering carefully what a source like this can and cannot tell us. Dr. Monahan’s investigation into these maps is part of a larger book project about the first atlas of Siberia. The atlas, compiled at the end of the seventeenth century, maps the continent of Eurasia, space which, even up into the present, contains some of the most sparsely populated, remote, and little-known territory on earth. At the same time, however, global warming is driving ice melt that is making Arctic waters more navigable . . . and more contested. In addition to delving into the history of sea ice, this talk presents the broader Russian imperial context and content of this remarkable atlas, inviting us to reflect on the implications of this historical knowledge.Event: "Slippery Sources: Some Pages from the First Atlas of Siberia" with guest speaker Dr. Erika Monahan
Date: Thursday, Feb. 19th, 2026
Time: 4:30-6:00pm AKST
Location: Schaible Auditorium & via Zoom
Zoom Link: https://alaska.zoom.us/j/84725123846
This event is sponsored by the UAF Department of History and the Arctic and Northern Studies program.
About the Speaker
Erika Monahan is an associate professor of History at University of New Mexico and occasionally interviews authors on NewBooksNetwork. Monahan’s first book, the The Merchants of Siberia: Trade in Early Modern Eurasia (Cornell UP, 2016) won the Bruce Lincoln Book Prize. She was an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation fellow at the University of Cologne, Germany in 2023–24. She is currently working on a book about the maps of Semen Remezov. Among her proudest accomplishments is finishing the Sonot Kkaazoot 50k.
UAF Department of History
The UAF Department of History fosters critical thinking and global awareness through the study of the past, with particular strengths in Alaska, Arctic, and Indigenous histories. Your support helps fund student research, guest speakers, and experiential learning opportunities that enrich history education at UAF.
https://engage.alaska.edu/donation-with-cart?fid=XtAAmrCMRh0%3d&fdesc=KEJflrCxhjm%2bjck7LHDuHaGyr5VHK924O46%2bCbNReT0%3d
UAF Arctic and Northern Studies Program
The Arctic and Northern Studies Program at UAF brings together interdisciplinary perspectives to better understand the cultures, environments, and challenges of the North. Donations support student scholarships, community-engaged research, and programs that prepare students to address pressing Arctic and northern issues.
https://engage.alaska.edu/donation-with-cart?fid=IsNj567VSHA%3d&fdesc=DSXntUXQkRkgwd%2f556hNyJpMnfC2n50nDv6cc%2bdH2qEkiJ2OBr7%2fy2EDSb5S8z9Z
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
UAF Schaible Auditorium, 323 Tanana Loop,College,AK,United States, FairbanksEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
