Politics and Security in the Arctic

Politics and Security in the Arctic (POPSARC) asks two overarching questions. First, what characterises Western alliesʼ current approaches to security in the Arctic? Second, how are allied interactions in the Arctic sphere materialising – in statements, strategies, and observable material practices – across key security domains? While there is a rapidly growing body of literature tracing and unpacking the ambitions and actions of Russia and China in the Arctic, and Western actorsʼresponses to their moves, limited scholarly attention has been given to the (changing) fabric of allied interactions in the region. At a time marked by major international turbulence – war in Europe, the breakdown of established diplomatic fora, the entry of new actors and stakeholders – there is an urgent need for also understanding the approaches of and interaction dynamics between Western allies operating in or near the Arctic. The project focuses on eight states: The seven Arctic states Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Canada and the USA, as well as the UK - which defines itself as the Arctic's nearest neighbour. Zooming in on the time period 2014-2026, the research team will study Western alliesʼ approaches to and interaction patterns in Arctic security across three domains: Diplomacy, military collaboration, and infrastructure governance. The project employs a theory 

framework organised around the concepts of foreign policy repertoires, community-building, and differentiation. We use this framework to study changes in discourse and observable interaction practices in three domains: diplomacy, military collaboration, and infrastructure governance. Project findings will add to the knowledge production on Arctic security, helping policy makers arrive at better-informed decisions, and informing members of the general public.

The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN).