The Malaurie Institute of Arctic Research – Monaco–UVSQ (MIARC) is dedicated to the study and promotion of the circumpolar work of the renowned French Arctic scholar Professor Jean Malaurie, one of the world’s most distinguished specialists on the Arctic. The institute focuses on Arctic humanities, interdisciplinary polar research, and the cultural and historical representations of the circumpolar North.
MIARC builds on the rich legacy of Jean Malaurie’s extensive scientific and literary contributions, as well as the unique Arctic collections he donated in 2021 to the Institute of Oceanography / Foundation Prince Albert I of Monaco. The institute’s work also reflects the spirit of Terre Humaine, the influential series of narrative ethnography founded by Malaurie in 1955, which highlights human experiences and Indigenous voices from across the circumpolar world.
The institute’s research themes include the history of Arctic exploration, cultural and environmental relations between Arctic societies and the cryosphere, and interdisciplinary perspectives on Arctic knowledge and heritage. MIARC operates in close collaboration with the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco and continues the intellectual legacy of Prince Albert I’s pioneering expeditions to the Far North.
MIARC organizes annual international scientific meetings and expert workshops in Monaco, France, and the Arctic, bringing together leading scholars and specialists. It also publishes the interdisciplinary journal Inter-Nord, originally founded by Jean Malaurie, and supports the Arctic Humanities book series published by Brill and directed by Professor Jan Borm.
The institute is funded by the Institute of Oceanography / Foundation Prince Albert I of Monaco and is operated by the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), a founding member of the University of Paris-Saclay, in partnership with the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco.
The Collaboration
As part of its collaboration with MIARC, Arctic Portal designed and hosts the institute’s website, supporting the outreach and digital dissemination of its research and activities. Arctic Portal also designed the Jean Malaurie logo used by the institute.
Arctic Portal is continuing to work with the institute to explore and further develop this collaboration, building on the principles and expertise of both partners.
About Jean Malaurie
Jean Malaurie (1922–2024) was a pioneering French geographer, anthropologist, and Arctic explorer whose work profoundly shaped modern understanding of the circumpolar world. He conducted 31 Arctic expeditions, beginning in 1948, with extensive research in Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, and Siberia.
In 1951, together with the Inuit Kutsikitsoq, Malaurie became the first person to reach the geomagnetic North Pole by dog sled. His research combined geomorphology, ecology, and anthropology, with a strong focus on the cultures and livelihoods of Arctic Indigenous peoples.
Malaurie founded several influential institutions and initiatives, including the Centre for Arctic Studies (EHESS/CNRS) in Paris, the renowned ethnographic book series Terre Humaine, and the academic journal Inter-Nord. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to the protection of Arctic environments and Indigenous cultures, he was named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2007.