01803nas a2200133   4500008004100000022001800041245011100059210006900170250000800239260002200247520132400269100002001593856005601613       2019                        eng d  a978042942970500aPlacing the past: The McMurdo Dry Valleys and the problem of geographical specificity in Antarctic history0 aPlacing the past The McMurdo Dry Valleys and the problem of geog  a1st  aLondonbRoutledge3 a<p>This chapter uses the history of the McMurdo Dry Valleys to think about the problem of geographical specificity in Antarctica. As the largest predominantly ice-free region in the Antarctic continent, the McMurdo Dry Valleys are in some ways quite different from the surrounding landscape. But despite this difference, the region has been used by scientists to make broad claims about Antarctica as a whole. While using the McMurdo Dry Valleys in this way helps to increase the relevance of the research conducted in this part of the continent, it also risks &lsquo;flattening&rsquo; the rest of Antarctica and assuming that there are connections and similarities where none may exist. These risks of flattening the continent are arguably exacerbated by the concept of the Anthropocene, which assumes a universal human impact across the planet. Such observations call for a nuanced understanding of regions such as the McMurdo Dry Valleys which acknowledge the specificity of place, but also consider how they fit into the broader picture of Antarctic history. The paper concludes by arguing that a one-size-fits-all vision of the Anthropocene does not seem appropriate for thinking about the past, present, or future of a continent where we are only just coming to appreciate the richness and diversity of place.</p>1 aHowkins, Adrian  uhttps://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780429429705