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Research Project
Politics and Security in the Arctic (POPSARC)
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).
Project Manager
Participants
New publications
Infrastructures in Cyber Conflict and Warfare
Infrastructure has played a foundational yet often underexplored role in cyber conflict and warfare. While typically treated as a backdrop to more prominent analytical concerns, infrastructure is in fact central to the very existence and functioning of the cyber domain, shaping both civilian and military operations. This chapter in De Gruyter Handbook of Cyber Conflict and Warfare surveys the diverse bodies of scholarship that engage with infrastructure in cyber warfare, revealing how different studies conceptualize what infrastructure is and what it does. Aanonsen and Gjesvik identify three overlapping approaches: infrastructure as a target and object of protection; infrastructure as a capability and source of power; and infrastructure as a force that shapes the practices and nature of warfare itself. Despite increasing attention, significant gaps remain in understanding how infrastructures influence cyber conflict. As scholarship moves from theoretical to empirical studies of cyber warfare, investigating the evolving role of infrastructures offers a promising path for future research.
Nordisk drejning i nordområderne
Engelsk: In the Norwegian Government’s new High North strategy, the Nordic region has a more prominent role. What does that mean – for the High North and for Nordic cooperation?