Miguel Salazar Urrutia holds a PhD in Political Science from the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). He is a researcher at the Millennium Institute for the Biodiversity of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems. His research lies at the intersection of political science, international relations, and environmental governance, with a particular focus on the Antarctic continent and the southern regions. His work examines the historical, political, legal, and organisational foundations of Antarctic governance, with a specific emphasis on the Antarctic Treaty System. Drawing on the theoretical framework of the commons, his research explores the conditions under which states and non-state actors engage in cooperative governance rather than resource appropriation. He argues that Antarctica constitutes a shared scientific and environmental regime shaped by long-term processes of international cooperation.
Throughout his research career, Miguel has conducted extensive fieldwork at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and other diplomatic forums, working closely with the Chilean delegation on Antarctic affairs. He has also engaged with key actors within the Antarctic community and actively participated in academic and policy-oriented forums, contributing to debates on the collective governance of Antarctica. His research highlights the central role of science—particularly scientific internationalism—in providing the moral and institutional foundations of Antarctic governance. Building on this perspective, he supports the idea that the recognition of Antarctic rights represents a potential next step in the political, legal, and organisational evolution of the Antarctic system.