This essay serves as an introduction to the special issue recognising the 60th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty. It provides the geopolitical and scientific context informing the creation of the negotiations for a new treaty between October and December 1959. Thereafter, it identifies some of the challenges facing the contemporary Antarctic Treaty System. While none are thought to be threatening to the collaborative spirit that informs the legal and political status quo, there is no room for complacency either. Finally, the contributors and their essays are introduced for the reader. Taken together, it showcases the diversity of work being undertaken by scholars in the humanities and social sciences.

中文翻译：

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回顾《南极条约》缔结60周年

本文是对纪念《南极条约》60周年特刊的介绍。它提供了地缘政治和科学背景，为 1959 年 10 月至 12 月之间新条约的谈判提供了信息。此后，它确定了当代南极条约体系面临的一些挑战。虽然没有人被认为会威胁到告知法律和政治现状的协作精神，但也没有自满的余地。最后，向读者介绍了投稿人和他们的论文。总之，它展示了人文和社会科学学者所从事的工作的多样性。