Arctic 8 Policy: Reassessing International Relations
Arctic 8 Policy: Reassessing International Relations
Contributor(s): Ferdi Güçyetmez (Editor), Jared R. Dmello (Editor)
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Essay|Book Review |Scientific Life, General Reference Works, Library and Information Science, Sociology
Published by: Transnational Press London
Keywords: International Relations; Policy Series; Arctic policy; Arctic politics; Canada; Denmark; Energy in the Arctic; Iceland; international relations; Norway; Russia; USA
Summary/Abstract: The Arctic is a harsh geography that has historically been misconceived as a large ice mass, ignoring the complex strategic salience of the region. Its cold waters and frozen lands have attracted the attention of people for many years and have been the centre of discoveries and adventures. Today, however, the strategic importance of the Arctic has gone beyond discoveries and adventures. Factors, such as environmental erosion, climate change, and national or regional security complicate geopolitical dynamics in the region.This book begins by delving into the issues that have led Arctic countries to reorient their foreign policies. The geopolitical structure of the Arctic, the expansion of NATO, the emergence of new energy reserves, and the impact of climate change on the Arctic are some of the factors directly affecting the region. Then, within the framework of these influences, the policies of the eight Arctic countries are re-assessed from the perspective of international relations.This volume not only emphasises the geopolitical and strategic importance of the Arctic region, but also discusses conflicts of interest, international cooperation efforts, and possible future scenarios. The Arctic is not just a geography, but also an important part of global politics and security. This book is a guide to understanding the complex and dynamic nature of the Arctic region.
- E-ISBN-13: 978-1-80135-272-7
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-1-80135-271-0
- Page Count: 273
- Publication Year: 2024
- Language: English
Introduction to Arctic Geopolitics
Introduction to Arctic Geopolitics
(Introduction to Arctic Geopolitics)
- Author(s):Ferdi Güçyetmez
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Security and defense, Geopolitics
- Page Range:4-13
- No. of Pages:10
- Keywords:Introduction; Arctic Geopolitics; security; society;
- Summary/Abstract:‘Every act of creation is an act of destruction’: This dialogue, which first emerged in Eastern philosophy, laid the foundation for the concept of “war for peace” that would follow years later. New concepts have emerged as war has gained perspective, and multidisciplinary disciplines have since been involved in examining the causes, conduct, and termination of conflicts. However, is it only weapons that are necessary for war? From the first nomadic societies where acts of warfare emerged to the era of war theorists, such as Thucydides, Thomas Aquinas, Carl von Clausewitz, Niccolò Machiavelli, or Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke, there was another action that was as effective as weapons throughout history: strategy. Strategy is a broad and deep subject, with strategic studies having emerged as a scholarly discipline in its own right, but the depth that concerns us for the purpose of this text is geopolitics and geography because from these dimensions, all other components of security and society can be examined.
- Price: 5.00 €
What The Arctic Means to Nato
What The Arctic Means to Nato
(What The Arctic Means to Nato)
- Author(s):Alina Bykova
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Environmental and Energy policy, International relations/trade, Geopolitics
- Page Range:15-44
- No. of Pages:30
- Keywords:Arctic; Means; Nato; Ukraine; region; emergency; climate;
- Summary/Abstract:The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world. The region is warming four times faster than the rest of the world.2 Once considered a zone of peace and exceptionalism that was relatively sheltered from global politics, the Arctic has progressively (re)entered the forum of international affairs over the last decade, both due to interests in northern natural resources now made more accessible by the climate emergency, and Russia’s unprovoked invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.
- Price: 5.00 €
Energy in The Arctic: Complexity and Thinking in A Social Dynamical System
Energy in The Arctic: Complexity and Thinking in A Social Dynamical System
(Energy in The Arctic: Complexity and Thinking in A Social Dynamical System)
- Author(s):Anna Soer
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy
- Page Range:45-87
- No. of Pages:43
- Keywords:Energy; Arctic; Complexity; Thinking; Social Dynamical System;
- Summary/Abstract:Over 99% of energy production and consumption in the Arctic comes from fossil fuels. This dependence on fossil fuels triggers a wide range of security and health concerns. Firstly, the dependence of fossil fuels within households has been shown to cause detrimental health effects from respiratory illnesses to cancers – especially targeting women and children. These health concerns bleed into other structural issues from the lack of secure and sound housing to the difficult access to healthcare for remote and urban Arctic communities, especially so in Arctic Canada. Secondly, concerns surrounding the dependence on fossil fuels pose complex and compound risks from environmental security risks to national security risks linking politics with economics with human security. The concept of human security has gained momentum in recent decades – becoming central to global development agendas propelled by international organizations such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) – and has framed and complexified the notion of security to become more holistic. In this perspective of holism, complexity itself deserves a center stage in this chapter on energy-based issues in the Arctic. Complexity, in between order and chaos, defines the difficult task ahead of drafting a resilient and sustainable future for the region. Similarly, thinking in systems – to quote the title of Donella H. Meadows’work (2008) – entails the understanding of the ‘what’: defining these issues goes beyond listing elements but flows into an understanding of the “interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something. [...] A system is more than the sum of its parts”. These two preliminary definitions of ‘complexity’and ‘system’open a whole world of questions for the topic at hand and relate the Arctic back to the global sphere.
- Price: 5.00 €
Impact of Climate Change on The Arctic
Impact of Climate Change on The Arctic
(Impact of Climate Change on The Arctic)
- Author(s):Rabia Kalfaoğlu
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy
- Page Range:89-107
- No. of Pages:19
- Keywords:Impact; Climate; Change; Arctic; region;
- Summary/Abstract:The Arctic region covers approximately 6% of the Earth’s surface. Geographically, about 33% of the region consists of landmass, with the remaining half divided between the Arctic Ocean, including continental shelves shallower than 500 meters (1,640 feet), and the other half comprising oceanic waters deeper than 500 meters. The Arctic region is experiencing one of the most significant impacts of global climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this polar region, located above the Earth’s northernmost latitude 66°33’N, is considered an area where climate change is primarily looming.
- Price: 5.00 €
United States Arctic Policy From White Hills to Blue Waters
United States Arctic Policy From White Hills to Blue Waters
(United States Arctic Policy From White Hills to Blue Waters)
- Author(s):Aslıhan Genç
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy, Environmental interactions
- Page Range:110-129
- No. of Pages:20
- Keywords:United States; Arctic Policy; White Hills; Blue Waters;
- Summary/Abstract:The Arctic region is changing as global warming and melting glaciers facilitate access to valuable resources. In addition to energy reserves, valuable minerals and fishing activities, new routes will change the geopolitics of this region with the ease of transit through transport hubs. This situation is causing states to shift their attention to this geography, both commercially and politically, revealing the power struggle in the region. As an Arctic state, the United States, while analysing its policy and security in the region, determines its strategy by considering the changes in this region
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The Canadıan Perspective on International Relatıons Inside The Circumpolar North
The Canadıan Perspective on International Relatıons Inside The Circumpolar North
(The Canadıan Perspective on International Relatıons Inside The Circumpolar North)
- Author(s):Jackson Walling
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Energy and Environmental Studies
- Page Range:131-154
- No. of Pages:24
- Keywords:Canadıan; Perspective; International; Relatıons; Circumpolar; North;
- Summary/Abstract:The Canadıan Perspective on International Relatıons Inside The Circumpolar North International relations surrounding the Arctic have evolved as time has progressed, intersecting on a liberal-realist axis. In which the international relations surrounding the Arctic have diverged between a liberalist international zone of peace, and a realist zone of competition and possible conflict. This metamorphosis is reflected within the history surrounding the geopolitical environment of the Arctic. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and United States imposed a theoretical ‘ice curtain’across the Arctic’s geopolitical landscape, because of the ideological and geo-strategic contest taking place between both states. Nevertheless, after the culmination of the Cold War, Mikael Gorbachev’s 1987 Murmansk speech conceptualized the Arctic as a ‘zone of peace’. Leading to the materialization of Arctic exceptionalism as a narrative that represents the Arctic geopolitical landscape. Asserting that the Arctic is insulated from regular geo-political dynamics; geo-political competition and embodies its own geo-political region. The conclusion of Cold War antagonism, introduced a rapidly transformative time in Arctic politics, converting from militarization and a space of conflict, to one that idealized cooperation amongst states, for the greater good of the environmentally sensitive area. The strategic significance of the Arctic faded, and the possibility of confrontation subsided, with the inauguration of the Arctic Council, which instituted the notion of civility within the region as a whole. Arguably, this affability was ingrained into the Arctic geo-political landscape, but good things don’t last forever. This reputation of being sheltered from broader international relations ended since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in winter of 2022. The Arctic in the contemporary world is now reverting to an area where conflict and competition trumps cooperative and collective gains. The drastic effects of climate change and states seeing the Arctic as an area of self-interest has re-emerged in the contemporary landscape, due to the proposition of economic opportunities.
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The Policies of The Russian Federation Towards The Arctic Region
The Policies of The Russian Federation Towards The Arctic Region
(The Policies of The Russian Federation Towards The Arctic Region)
- Author(s):Ebru Caymaz
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Governance, Environmental and Energy policy, Geopolitics
- Page Range:155-166
- No. of Pages:12
- Keywords:The Policies of The Russian Federation; Towards; The Arctic Region;
- Summary/Abstract:The Arctic region has been on the Russian government’s agenda since the early 2000s, with the economic and commercial potential provided by its rich underground resources and alternative maritime trade routes serving as a key interest. As stated by Vladimir Putin during the Arctic Forum in 2011, the shortest route between the Asia-Pacific region and Europe’s largest markets lies along the Arctic. This route is calculated as almost a third shorter than the traditional southern route.
- Price: 5.00 €
Policies of Finland Towards The Arctic Region
Policies of Finland Towards The Arctic Region
(Policies of Finland Towards The Arctic Region)
- Author(s):Yeliz Albayrak
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Politics / Political Sciences, Governance, Environmental and Energy policy, Geopolitics
- Page Range:167-187
- No. of Pages:21
- Keywords:Policies ; Finland; Towards The Arctic Region;
- Summary/Abstract:The Arctic region holds great significance for Finland throughout its history. Finland is an active Polar actor. Finland is a part of the Arctic Council’s eight permanent members and among the 29 consultative parties involved in decision-making regarding Antarctica as stated by the Ministry for the Foreign Affairs of Finland.2 Finland’s Arctic strategy is a comprehensive effort to establish its strategic goals and policies in the Arctic region. The strategy aims to ensure active participation of Finland in the Arctic geography, seize potential opportunities in the region and promote sustainable development. Additionally, it also encompasses promoting sustainable utilization of natural resources in the Arctic region and strengthening environmental protection measures. Finland seeks to boost the stability and prosperity of the Arctic region by enhancing international collaboration in the area.
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Thinking The Arctic in Swedish Geopolitics: Policies and Practices
Thinking The Arctic in Swedish Geopolitics: Policies and Practices
(Thinking The Arctic in Swedish Geopolitics: Policies and Practices)
- Author(s):Emre Sipahioğlu
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Geopolitics
- Page Range:189-204
- No. of Pages:16
- Keywords:Thinking; Arctic; Swedish; Geopolitics; Policies; Practices;
- Summary/Abstract:We are in an era in which the influence of geography is reflected in national and global policies and the international order is connected with strategic location. In the 21st century, the fact that the countries of Northern Europe are far from the irregular zones that we define as the geography of war does not mean that they ignore their security policies. At this point, there is a need for a geopolitical security order in a world of anarchic order. Sweden has been seeking ‘status’through regional cooperation after the Cold War but has returned to a defensive security approach with Russia’s aggressive realist policies. In globalisation studies, the seeking of status may change according to the influence of the political order. In this sense, the regional anarchic structure of geography leads to changes in the understanding of “status”. In international relations, there is an understanding of status based on three theories: social identity, rationalist instrumentalism and constructionism. What position does Sweden hold in terms of status? We can read the policies of a country with an ongoing war in its “neighbourhood” from the perspective of the search for a new identity within the scope of ontological security. The possession of extensive military technology and advanced war equipment is important for a country’s international status. Individual security equipment and economies may be insufficient to ensure peace and security in the Northern European region, so a shift towards “collective security” policies is essential. In this context, NATO, the world’s largest security co-operation, comes into play.
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Norway’s Arctic Policies
Norway’s Arctic Policies
(Norway’s Arctic Policies)
- Author(s):Allison G. Kondrat
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Geopolitics
- Page Range:205-222
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:Norway; Arctic Policies; Europe; employs; multiparty; political;
- Summary/Abstract:Norway has one of the smallest populations in Europe and is known for its liberal, autonomous system of government. Norway employs a multiparty political system and operates under a democratic parliament and a constitutional monarchy. Internal operations and ministries in Norway function in decentralized, local arenas (with some external federal oversight). Under this socio-political system, the Norwegian public has consistently reported some of the highest levels of trust internationally in their government, institutions, and society. This impressive domestic feat complements Norway’s international strategic stronghold. This chapter will examine Norway’s geopolitics, historical, and modern interactions with the Arctic. Specifically, Norway’s geographic location as a foothold for international security operations is discussed. The interactions of Norway, with other countries in the Arctic, throughout history are explored. Additionally, the modern importance of Norway in the military, economic, and political contexts of the Arctic region is discussed, as is Norway’s expectations of its Arctic neighbours. In doing so, the importance of Norway in the Arctic and in international settings will be delineated.
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Iceland’s Arctic Policies
Iceland’s Arctic Policies
(Iceland’s Arctic Policies)
- Author(s):Jared R. Dmello, Bianca Acosta
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Geopolitics
- Page Range:223-234
- No. of Pages:12
- Keywords:Iceland’s; Arctic; Policies;
- Summary/Abstract:Iceland is a diverse country with a celebrated history. First settled by immigrants of Norwegian and Celtic descent in the late 9th and 10th centuries and the only Arctic State to not have an indigenous population, Iceland is home to the world’s oldest and continuously functioning legislative assembly, known as the Althingi, which was established in 930 A.D. Benefiting from a robust tourism industry and recent construction growth, Iceland’s economic position is on an upward trajectory. Similarly, the population is experiencing a slight growth as of 2023 and consists of highly diverse in terms of religion. Iceland currently has a frozen accession application to the European Union but is an active member of the Schengen Area.
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Policies of Denmark Towards The Arctic Region
Policies of Denmark Towards The Arctic Region
(Policies of Denmark Towards The Arctic Region)
- Author(s):Veysel Babahanoğlu, Elif Miray Yazıcı
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Environmental and Energy policy, Geopolitics
- Page Range:235-263
- No. of Pages:29
- Keywords:Policies; Denmark; Towards; Arctic Region;
- Summary/Abstract:The Arctic region stands out as a region of increasing geopolitical and geostrategic importance in the international power struggle. This region attracts the attention of many countries in terms of the energy resources it harbours and the struggle for sovereignty over the new sea routes that have emerged/continue to emerge due to global warming. Denmark is one of these countries. As one of the influential actors of the Arctic because of its policies, Denmark has geopolitical importance for the region.
- Price: 5.00 €