BEXP 17A11 - International Relations of the Arctic

Over the past decade, the Arctic has moved from the margins to the centre of the international system. The circumpolar North ranks among the areas of the planet most severely affected by climate change, warming at nearly four times the global average. These developments have far-reaching consequences: the sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean is retreating, the Greenland ice sheet is melting, and permafrost soils are thawing. While these processes are environmentally harmful, many states also frame them as creating new opportunities, including the opening of new shipping routes and access to previously inaccessible natural resource deposits. Scientific interest in the Arctic, particularly its linkages to global sea levels and shifting weather patterns, is growing. Non-Arctic states such as China and India are leveraging concerns over climate change to assert themselves as regional stakeholders.

Yet as outside engagement deepens, the institutional framework that has long underpinned Arctic collaboration is coming under strain. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has brought most political cooperation to a standstill, dividing the Arctic Council states – Norway, Denmark and Greenland, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Canada, the United States, and Russia – along a major geopolitical fault line.

Military forces are expanding their presence in the Arctic, as Russia modernises its northern bases and naval assets. The NATO states of northern Europe are developing new capacities for Arctic operations. The United States grapples with the presence of Chinese icebreakers near Alaska and has employed disruptive rhetoric questioning the international status of Greenland, a Danish-administered territory pursuing greater autonomy. In public and media discourses, the Arctic is thus now often portrayed as a region destined for conflict.

But is this pessimistic assumption supported by facts? This exploratory seminar will equip students with the tools to independently understand and critically interpret the international relations of the Arctic. It aims to disentangle the myths and realities surrounding political, military, and economic developments in the region, placing a strong emphasis on analytical rigour, intellectual honesty, and a readiness to engage with complexities and contradictions.

Through critical analyses of relevant case studies, students will explore how issues in Arctic politics have been approached by scholars within the academic discipline of International Relations (IR). The seminar is designed to provide a conceptual and analytical foundation for students wishing to pursue their own interests in international politics.

The course consists of twelve two-hour sessions held weekly. Each seminar will begin with an interactive lecture by the instructor during the first hour, introducing the central themes and concepts of the week. The lecture will be followed by a 30-minute discussion period; however, students are encouraged to ask questions and contribute to the discussion at any time during the session. In the final 30 minutes, student pairs will present their analyses of one of the week’s optional readings, as assigned by the course convenor. Each presentation will last approximately 10 minutes. The last 10 minutes of each session will be reserved for administrative announcements and practical questions from students.