Planting the Seed: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault as an Archive in the Face of Uncertain Futures

Cultural preservation is an evolving phenomenon that has historically been undertaken through the written or oral passage of knowledge from one generation to the next. Some archives emerge so individuals can understand their social, cultural, and personal histories, while others emerge to preserve non-human-related specimens to prepare for worst-case scenarios. This paper discusses the notion of the “doomsday” archive and connects it to concepts of archival practice by exploring the history and efficacy of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and the various ways humans have used archival principles to mitigate harm in the face of global catastrophes